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SERMONS 

Upon  the  following  SubjeSisy 
^t  VIZ. 

The   Divinity  of  Jesus   Chri^V* 

The   Millenium. 

The    Wifdojn    of  God^  in  the  Per-^ 
mijfwn  of  Sin. 

By  Joseph  Bellamy,  A.M. 

Minifter  of  the  Gofpcl  at  Bethlem. 


I  bring  you  good  Tidings  0/ great  Joy^  Luke  ii.  10. 

l^ght  it  /own  for  the  Right  ecus  ^  and  Gladneft  fr  the  Up^ 
right  in  Heart,  Ps  alm  xcvii.  1 1, 

'^There  tvat  a  thick  Darkrefi  in  all  the  l^nd  of  Fgvpt 

But  all  the  Children  of  Ijrael  had  Light  in  their  Oivet- 
^^^g^-  ExoD.  X.  22,  23. 


BOSTON: 

Printed  and  Sold  by  Edes  and  Gill  ;  and  by  S.  Kngeland^ 
iQ  ^een- Street,  M,dcc,lviu» 


oiv.  a 


T^e  "Divinity  of  Chrifl.  J 

And,  as  Jefus  Chrift  appears  "  in  the  Form  of 
God"  in  the/r/?  Chapter  of  Genefis^  calling  univerfal 
Nature  out  of  Nothing  into  Exiftence  ;  fo  likewife 
does  he  appear,  and  adl,  and  fpeak,  as  thinking  it 
<«  no  Robbery  to  be  equal  with  God,"  in  all  the 
grand  Difpcnfations  of  divine  Providence,  from  the 
Calling  of  Abraham^  and  forward,  thro*  ail  the  Jexvijh 
Difpenfatim, 

Turn  to  the  third  Chapter  oi  Exodus^  at  the  begin- 
ning, and  there  you  may  fee,  *'  the  Angel  of  the 
*•  Lord  appeared  to  Mofes,  in  a  Flame  of  Fire  out 
*'  of  the  midft  of  a  Bufli,  :|:  and  God  called  unto 
*'  him  out  of  the  Bufh,  and  faid,  I  am  the  God  of 
*«  thy  Father,  the  God  of  Abraham,  the  God  of 
**  Ifaac,  and  the  God  of  Jacob."  Now  who  was  this 
God,  that  thus  fpake  to  Mofes  ?  It  was  plainly  the 
God  who  had  appeared  to  Abraham,Ifaac  and  Jacob  j 
and  to  whom  they  had  built  Altars,  and  whom  they 
had  worfhipped.     To  Jacob,  in  particular,  as  he  was 

going 

J  *<  Not  a  created  Angel, but  thcAngd  of  theCcvenant, Chrift 
**  Jefus,  who  then  and  ever  was  God,  and  was  to  be  Man, 
•*  and  to  be  fent  into  the  World  in  our  Flelh,  as  a  Mcf- 
**  fenger  from  God.  And  thefe  temporary  Apparitions  of 
**  his,  were  Prefages  or  Fore-runners  of  his  more  folcmn 
**  Miffion  and  Coming,  and  therefore  he  is  fitly  called  an 
**  Angel.  That  this  Angel  was  no  Creature,  plainly  «p- 
««  pears  by  the  wholeGontext,and  efpecially  \^j  his  faying, 
**  I  a7n  the  Lord^  &c.  The  A^igels  never  (peak  thatLaa- 
«*  guage  in  Scripture  :  but,  I  am  fent  /rem  God,  and  I  am 
•»  thy  Fello-ji)' Servant i  &c.  And  it  is  a  vain  Pretence,  to 
"  fay,  That  the  Angel  as  God's  Ambafrador  fpeaks  in 
*«  God's  Name  and  Perfon.  For  what  AmbafTador  of  any 
«*  Kmg  in  the  World  did  ever  fpeak  thus,  lam  the  King^ 
^*  &c.  Minifters  are  God's  Ambaffadors  ;  but  if  any  of 
*^  ihem  fliould  fay,  lam  the  Lord^  they  would  be  guilty 
<«  of  Blafphemy  ;  and  fo  would  any  created  Angel  too, 
«  for  the  fame  Reafen/*  Pool  in  Loc. 


L,  -    The  Tiivmity  of  Chrifl. 

going  to  Padan-AraiD.  Gen.  XXVIII.  12,  13.  «  He 
**  dreamed,  and  behold,  a  Ladder  fet  upon  theEarth, 
*«  and  the  Top  of  it  reached  to  Heaven  :  and  the 
*•  An?els  of  God  [thefe  were  created  Angels]  afccnd- 
*'  ing  and  defcendmg  on  it.  And  behold, tlic  Lord 
**  [this  was  the  fupremc  God]  ftood  above  it,  and 
**  faid,  I  am  the  Lord  God  of  Abraham  thyp'ather, 
**  and  the  God  of  Ifaac  :  the  Land  whereon  thou 
*'  lieft,  to  thee  will  I  give  it,  and  to  thy  Seed,  &c. 
And  "  Jacob  called  the  Name  of  that  Place  Bethel," 
i.  e.  theHoufe  of  God,  ver.  19.  *'  And  he  anointed  a 
«•  Pillar,  and  vowed  a  Vow,  faying.  If  God  will  be 
*'  with  me,  &c.  then  (hall  the  Lord  be  my  God" — 
ver.  20, — 22.  And  when  he  was  at  Padan-Aram  the 
fame  God  appeared  to  him  again,  and  is  called  the 
Angel  of  God.  Gen.  XXXI.  ♦'  And  the  Angel  of  God 
*«  fpake  to  me  in  aDream".  ver.  1 1.  Thia  was  not  a 
created  Angel  ;  for  he  faid,  ver.  13.  "I  am  theGod 
*'  of  Bethel,  where  thou  anointedfl:  the  Pillar,  and 
«*  vowcdft  a  Vow  unto  Me."  f  And  to  this  God  he 

afterwards 

\  GOD  the  Father  is  never  called  the  Anget  of  God  :  But 
thQ  God  0/  Bethel  15  called  the  Angel  of  God  :  Therefore 

the  God  of  Bethel  is  not  God  the  Father.- The  God  of 

Bethel  is  the  fame  who  is  called  the  Angel  of  the  Covenant 
in  Mai.  III.  I.  But  that  Angel  of  the  C-roenant  is  Chrift, 
as  is  plain  from  Mark  1.2.  Therefore  the  God  of  Bethel 
was  6'/^r;7?.— The  God  of  Bethel  was  the  God  who  appear- 
ed to  Abraham  (C^^XII.  1,— 7-)  to  Ifaac  {Gen.  XXVf. 
24,  25.)  to  Jacob  (6>«.  XXVIII.  13.  and  XXXI.  13.)  to 
Mofes  (Exod.  III.  2,  -6.^GnMount  Sinai  {Exod.y.Y..  2.) 
and  is  ufually  called  the  God  and  King  of  IfraeU  thro'  iflfe 
old  Teilament  :  But  the  God  of  Beth  A  was  Jefus  Chrifl  : 
Therefore  Jefus  Chrifl  was  the  God  and  King  of  IfracL — 
If  Jefus  Chrift  was  the  God  and  King  of  Ifrael,  then  may 
St.  Paul  be  Julbtkd  in  reprefenting  h.m  as  the  Creator  of 
the  Unirerfe,  Col.  I.  16.     And  la  applying  to  him,  in  his 

EpilUes, 


The  T>himty  of  Ch rift.  7 

afterwards  ^«///  an  Altar  {Chap.XXXV.  i.)  and  he 
calls  upon  thisGod,  this  Angela  to  blefs  the  Lads  (the  two 
Sons  of  Jofeph)  a  little  before  his  Death.  {Chap,  48. 

j^,  16.) Now,    who  was  this,  fometimes  called 

God^  fometimes  \\\q  Jngd  of  God  t"  h  \M,  if  we  may 
give  Credit  to  his  own  Declaration,  "The  God  of 
<»  Abraham  {U?ap,  XXVIIl.  13.)  and  the  God 
<'  of  Ifaac." And  this  was  the  God  who  now  ap- 
peared and  fpake  to  Mofes  in  the  Bulb,  and  vvh(> 
afterwards  gave  the  Law  from  Mount  Sinai.  And 
of  him,  even  of  this  very  fame  God,  David  fpeaks  iii 
the  LXVIIIth  PJhlm,  ver.  7,  Sec.  "  O  God,  when 
*'  thou  vventert  forth  before  thy  People,  when  thoa 
<'  didrt  march  thro'  theVVildernefs  ;  theEarth  fliook, 
*'  the  Heavens  alfo  dropped  at  the  Prefencc  of  the 
<'  Lord  :  even  Sinai  itfelf  was  moved  at  thePrefence 
"  of  God,thcGod  of  Ifrael.  ver  1 7. — ThcChariots  of 
<'  God  are  twenty  Thoufand,  even  Thoufands  of 
*'  Angels  ;  theLord  is  among  them,as-in  Sinai, in  the 
**  hofy  Place,  ^w.  18.  Thou  haft  afc'ended  on  high, 
<«  thou  haft  led  Captivity  captive,  thou  haft  received 

*'  Gifts  for  Men,"  &c. And  now,  who  was  this  ? 

Turn  to  the  IV th  Chapter  of  Ephe/ia?iSy  and  there 

an  infpircd  Apoftle  tells  us,  that  it  was  Jefus  Chrift. 
ver,  8.  It  was  He  "  Who  afcended  up  on  hik,lj,  and 
**  led  Captivity  captive." 

B  S3 

Epiftles,  what  was  evidently  fpoken  of  the  Cod  and  Kh:^ 

i>f  Ifraely  in  the   ficred  Writings    of  the  old  Ttliinient. 

Compare  Pfal,  LXVIII.  18.  with  Eph.  IV.  8.  Axi6  Pfai\ 

|£ll.  25.  with  Heb.  I.  10.  Slz.  5cc.  &c.— And  our  bleffed 

Saviour  may  be  judifitd  in  iaying  down  his   Life,  rathet 

than  to  give  up  his  Claim. And  there  was  moreTrutli 

in  theXitle  fct  up  over  his  Head  when  on  the  Crofs  {Jefus 
of  Nazareth  the  KinG  of  the  Jews)  than  his  Crucifiers 
were  aware  of  :  For  had  they  hKywrf^  thf^^  'would  net  ha^^ 
crucified  the  LoKH  of  Glorv. 

274987 


*8  The  'Dhhuty  of  Ojrljf, 

So  that  it  was  Je/us  Chr'i/i^  who  appeared  to  Abfa- 
liam,  Ifaac  and  Jacob,  to  Mofcs  in  tlie  Burning  Bu(h, 
and  onMount  Sinai.  And  He  appeared  in  the  ••••  Form 
of  God,"  and  fpake  in  the  Language  of  fupreme 
Deity,  as  tMlbking  it  *'  no  Robbery  to  be  equal  with 
God,"  faying,  "  1  am  the  God  of  Abraham,  the  God 
*^  of  Ifaac,  and  the  God  of  Jacob.  I  am  the  Lord 
*'  thy  God  which  brought  thee  out  oi  the  Land  of 
*'  Fgypt,  and  out  of  the  Houfe  of  Bondage.  Thou 
*'  Ihalt  have  no  other  Gods  before  me.  £';fc^.  XX. — 

And  what  could  he  have  faid   more  than  this to 

fet  up  thus  for  fupreme  God,   and  enjoin  that  none 
fliould  be  wor(hi;.pped  but  himfelf  ! 

A*JD  this  God,  who  thus  brought  Ifrael  out  of 
Egypt,  and  gave  the  Law  from  Mount  Sinai,  even  l>e 
v/as  "  the  King  of  the  Jews,"  their  «w7  67;/^.  For 
their  Government  was  a  77'^^a-^^_y,andGod  was  their 
King,  as  King-C^^r^^  is  King  of  Great- Britain,  And 
therefore  when  in  the  Days  of  Samuel,  they  defired 
to  have  a  King  from  among  thcmfelves,  like  the  Reft 
of  the  Nations, -God  faid.  ( I  Sa7n.  VilL  7.;  *'  They 
*'  have  reje6ted  Me,  that  I  fliould  not  reign  over 
*'  them."  (See  alfo  iSam.X.  18, 19.) This  was  in  their 
Hearts  ;  for  they  were  weary  of  God's  Government, 
and  did  not  hke  to  be  in  a  State  of  fuch  entireDepen- 
dance  on  him,  but  wanted  a  King  of  their  own. 
However  God  did  not  give  up  his  Government  over 
them,, nor  grant  them  a  King,  in  the  Senfe  they  de- 
fired  ;  but  only  nominated  and  conftituted  one  to  be 
his  Vicegerent,  to  be  his  Deputy,  to  govern  for  and 
under  him,  therefore  called   the  Lord's  a:winted^  ^^4 

himfelf  ftill   their  King. Now  it  was  at  Mdmit 

Sinai  God  became  their  King,  and  they  covenanted 
and  promifed  to  be  his  loyal  and  obedient  Subjcdls. 

Exod,  XiX.  3—8. But  thai  Gad  was  Jefus  Chrift, 

as  has  been  before  proved. Therefore  Jejus  Chrift 

^vas  ths  King  ofthjevji^  and  they  were  his  peculi? 

Pcop) 


V 


The  T>ivinhy  of  Chnfl.  9 

People  - — And  to  this  St.  ]olin  evidently  alludes  in 
thofe  Wcrds,  Job.  1.  11.  "  He  came  to  his  own,'* 
his  ownPeopie  h  Nation,  over  whom  he  had  reign^^d, 
'*  He  came  unto  his  own,  and  his  own^ccived  hiia 
"  not."  Yea,  look  up,  and  view  him  on  the  Crofsy 
and  read  the  SupciTcription  put  over  him,  and  thac 
wiii  declare  who  he  is,  Jesus  of  Nazareth  thk 
Kino  of  the  Jeavs.  (See  Job.  XII.  15.   ZecbAX.  9.) 

And  as  theiiGcd  was  their  King,  their  civilChief  ; 
fo  it  was  fuitable  he  fhould  have  2.  Palace  built  him» 
that  he  might  dwell  among  them.  And  according'y 
by  his  Appointment  the  Tabernaclt  was  built  in  the 
Wildernefs.  .  And  there  he  dwelr^  in  the  Holy  of 
Holies,  as  their  God  and  Kine,  giving  out  Laws  and 
Orders  from  above  the  Mercy-feat.  In  Allufion  tO' 
which  St.  Jobn  fpeaking  of  the  fame  God,  fays,  '*  Th^ 
"  Word  was  made  Fledi  and  tabernacled  among  us'' 

(for  fo  it  is  in  the  QriginaJ.)  Joh\  I.  14. And  th  s 

God  v.'hothus  dwelt  in  their  Tabernacle,  and  whoni 
they  tempted  and  tried  forty  Years  in  the  Wilder- 
nefs, St.  Paul  teftifies  was  Jefia  Chrift.  i  Cor.  X.  9, 
"  Neither  let  us  tempt  Chrill,  as  fome  of  them  alfj 
**  tempted,  and  were  deflroyed  of  Serpents."  (Se^: 
alfo  Ifa'i.  LX!II.  9.*  Compared  ^^vkXx  Ex:od.  XXIIL  20, 
and  XXXIII.  14.) 

Afterwards,  in  the  Days  of  Solomon,  a'  Tiv ;  ' 
was  built,  exceeding  grand  and  glorious  ;  however, 
not  equal  to  his  infinite  Greatnefs  :  for  "  the  Hea- 
"  ven,  and  the  Heaven  of  Heavens  could  not  contaiii 
"  him."  (i  Km.  VIII.  27.)  But  yet  in  this  Tcqp^c 
lie  condcfcended  to  take  up  his  Abode^  "  in  tt\*; 
*'  Cloud  of  Glory  wliich  filled  the  Houfe."  [-i.C-bron. 
V.  14.)  And  there  he  dwelt  as  God  and  King  of  ili 

J^vjs.  * In  Remembrance  of  which,  apd  conic. ous 

B  2  to 

""  Solomon,  in  his  Prayer  at  the  Dedication  of  the  Temp^% 

fpc^king  to  the  God  and  King  of  J{rael,  faid,  *•  for  thon, 

'*  evja 


5  0  The  Divinity  cf  Chnfl, 

'  to  his  own  Dignity,  our  Saviour,  in  the  Days  of  his 
Fhlh,  was  filled  with  Indignation  to  fee  theTemple, 
once  his  hoIyDwelIing-Place,turned  into  anHoufeot' 
Ivlerchandiz^  and  he  drove  out  the  People. — And 
l^eing  qucllioncd  for  this  his  Condud,  he  anfwered, 
'*  DeOroy  thisTemple  (fpeaking  of  his  Body)  and  in 
**  three  Days  I  will  raife  it  up."  Joh,  11,  iq.  As  if  he 
Jiad  faid,  *'  I  am  the  God  who  once  dwelt  in  your 
*'  Temple,  now  I  dwell  in  this  Dody,this  is  now  my 
**  7\m;ile,  dcftroy  it,  as  I  forefee  you  will,  and  in 
*'  threeDays  I  will  raife  it  from  theDead  ;  and  thcre- 
•'  by  give  you  full  Proof  who  I  be,  and  by  what 
^*  Authority  I  do  thefe  Things."     • 

To  Abraham  he  fometimes  appeared  as  a  Man. 
(Gen.  XVlil.  1,2.)  To  IVlofes,in  ^.Flame  of  Fire  in  the 
BiifiK  To  all  the  Hoft  of  Ifrael,  in  a  PilLr  cf  Cloud 
hy  Day  and  cf  Ftre  by  Night,  from  the  Time  they 
r;ent  out  of  Egypt  till  they  came  to  Mount  Sinai, 
On  the  Mount  He  took  up  his  Abode  till  the  Taber- 
racle  was  built,  and  his  Appearance  was  as  devouring 
Fire.  Exod.XXW,  17.  After  the  Tabernacle  was 
built,  that  became  the  Piace  of  his  Refidence  ;  and 
in  a  Pillar  of  CUud  by  Day  and  of  Fire  by  Night,  he 
Jed  the  Ifraelites  thro' all  the  Wildernefs,  till  he  had 
brought  them  into  the  lioly  Land  ;  and  the  Taber- 
nacle" was  fet  up  at  Shiloh  :  [JoJh.XYWX.  r.)  and 
there  He  dwelt  till  the  Days  of  FJi  :  {\  Sam.Wl,) 
when,  for  the  Wickednefs  of  the  Children  of  Jfrae), 

He 
«•'  p'-^n  thcu  ONLY  knovefi  the  Hearts  of  all  the  chil- 
*'  dren  of  Men."  i  Kina.  VIII.  29.  This  being  peculiar 
to  the  God  of  ifrael.  i  ^^v;.  XVI.  7.  Pfat.SlW.^.  Jtr. 
Xh  20.  &  XVII.  10.&  XX.12.— "  And  all  theChurches 
•♦  Ihall  know,  that  T  am  He,"  fays  oar  bleffcd  Saviour, 
•*  that  I  .\M  He,  which  fearcheth  the  Reins  and  Heart" 
Kev.  11.25.  i.e.  that  I  am  that  very  Being,  formerly 
i:nown  by  the  Name  of  the  God  of  Ifrael,  to  wl^oni  alone 
this  Cliaradcr  belonged.     All  ihs  Churches  Jhal I  kno^^  if 

K 


The  Ij'ivini'y  of  ChrijL  i  I 

He  fovfook  Shiloh  :  ( i  Scri.  IV.  Pfil.LXX  v  ui  l c  ) 
as  he  afterwards  did  the  Temple  of  So'ciDon.  (j^^- 
VI r.  14.)  And  after  theZ^^/j.W/.Captivity  tlii:>Tckcii 
of  the  divine  Prefence  was  never  more  fcen.  But  tlic 
pious  Jews  wereafiured  by  the  laft  Prophet  under  that 
Difpenfation, after  the  building  of  the  fecond  Temple, 
that  their  G^^and  King  would  return  to  their  Tem.pJe 
again.  iV/^/.Iil.i.  "The  IvORD  whom  ye  fetk,"  long- 
ing for  his  Prefence  as  in  former  Days,  ''  (lialJ  fud- 
*'  denly  come  toHisTemple,"  where  he  ufed  to  dvv(  1] ; 
"  even  theMeflenger  [or  Angel]  of  theCoYenant." — 
But  when  he  "  came  unto  his  own,  his  own  received 
"  him  not."  (JoL  I.  11.)  For  liis  ancient  Glory  was 
laid  afide,  and  he  appeared  in  ih^  Form  of  a  Servanr, 
and  in  the  Likencfs  of  Men.  Wherefore  they  put 
him  to  Death  for  claiming  to  be  "  the  Son  of  God 
"  and  King  of  the  Jews  j"  not  knowing  that  he  was 
the  Lord  of  Glory,  i  Cor.  II.  8.  See  ILig.  II.  7,  q. 
But  if  wc  want  any  further  Evidence,  that  Jt  fus 
Chrift  was  indeed  the  very  God  and  King  of  lirael. 
Jet  us  turn  to  the  Vlth  Chapter  of  Ifaiah,  whete  ws 
faall  find  the  Prcphft^xn  a  Villon,  feeing  "  the  Lord 
*'  fitting  upon  a  Throne  high  and  lifted  up,"  as  fole 
Monarch  of  the  Univerfc,  and  worfliippcd  by  \hc 
lieavenly  Horts  as  fupreme  God,  crying,  *'  Holy, 
"  Holy, Holy,  Lord  God  of  Hoih,  the  who'eEanh  is 
*'  full  of  thyGlory."*— And  then  turn  to  the  XJIth 
B  3  Chapter 

*  Iloh,  Holy,  Holy,  three  Times.  This  Vi:ion  wr.s  .1  Viiloo 
of  one  God  in  three  Perfons.  Of  God  the  Father,  Rom. 
XI.  8.  Of  God  the  Son,  Joh.  XII.  41.  Of  God  tlie 
Holy  Ghjft,  Aa.  XXVIH.  2>.  The  thrf.e,  who  faid, 
**  Let  us  makeMan  in  our  Image,"  Gefz.  I.  26.  Vxhofvi 
Name  was  oronounced  three  Times  in  theOld-Tcnament- 
Blcflinp.  Num.  VI.  24,  25,  2^.  As  the  three  Peifons  are 
dilh  6lly  mentioned  in  thcNcw-Tcunment-B^iptifm,  AJat. 
XXVill.  10.  AndiDthcNfv  Teilamcnt  Slg:1in2-  iCor. 
Xili. 


The  'Dh'tHtty  of  Chrijl. 

Ciiaptcr  of  John^  4if>  V^erfe,  and  we  (hall  find,  that 
tliis  God  was  Jesus  Christ.  "  Thefe'rhin^ijs'*  [v.z. 
liie  Things  contained  in  Ifai.  VI.  9,  ic  ]  '^  laid 
Eraias,_when  he  faw  his  Glory,  and  fpake  of  him." 
And  if  we  woiiid  fee  the  fame  Thing  confirmed 
over  again,  let  us  read  the  XLVrh  Chapter  of  Ij'uiuh 
riroughout,  where  we  have  tlie  supreme  God^  the 
GcJ  of  I/raely  faying,  ver.  5.  "  i  am  the  Lord,  and 
^-  iliere  is  !ione  eife,  there  is  no  God  befides  me. — 
**  ver.  6.  There  is  none  befides  me  :I  am  theLord, 
*•  and  there  is  none  elfe. — ver.  11.  lUius  faith  the 
"*  Lord,  the  HOLY  one  of  Ifrael. — ver.  12.  I  ha\e 
*'  made  the  Earth,  and  created  Man  upon  it  ;  J, 
,"  even  my  Hands  have  flretchcd  out  theHeavens. — 
*•  ver.  iS.  Thus  faith  the  Lord,  that  created  the 
'  Heavens ;  God  Himfelf,  that  formed  the  Earth 
•  and  made  It  ;  I  am  the  Lord,  and  there  is  none 
^-  elfc. — ver.  21.  There  is  noGodelfe  befides  me. — 
*•  ver.  22.  Look  unto  me,  and  be  ye  faved,  all  the 
*"    Ends  of  the  Earl!)  :  for  1  am  God,    and   there  is 

none  clle." And  if  after  all  thi-s  God- like  Lan- 

ge,  this  was  Jcfas  Chri/J^  St.  Paul  liiight  well  fny. 
Who  being  in  the  Eorai  of  God,    thought  it  no 

"  Robbery 

>:in.  14 And  it  is    obfcrved   hj   an  antlent  Jcj.lffy 

Writer,  that  in  fcveral  Fexts  in  the  Hcbreiv  Bihle  God  is 
-illcd  by  three  Names.  His  Wods  are  as  follows. 
"  Thus  it  is  fiid,  Excd.  XX.  5. 1  am  the  Lord  thy  God, a 
•'  jealous  God.  [Jewovah,  Elohim,  Rl,  are  the  U  ords 
'*  lTcJ  j7"*/iAC£',aiirvVerinJ  to  iheT/jrc^  b)  which  thcWorUi 
"  WdS  m-uie.  And  thus  tlie  Children  or  Gad,AX\i\  theChil- 
**  d.-en  of  Riuben^ij,  Jyj/j.XXU  22.  El,  Elokim» 
*'  Jehovah  :  El,  Elohim,  Jehovah,  Ae  knoiveto. 
•'  A'ld  uljy  are  ihefe  mentioned  twice  ?  Jkcaufc  by  them 
"  the  World  was  made,  and  b'.'C.iufe  by  them  the  La-v 
"  was  gii^en."  Thus  far  l!ie  Author  of  Mldrajh  TiV}7n. 
•■^ee  Bp.  Kiddir\  DsmonJlraUQn  0/ th(  Mefuh,     P»irt  III. 


The  7)lvimty  of  Chr'ijl,  I  ^ 

''  Robbery  to  be  equal  withGodi"  (nor  can  we  have 
a  plainer  Comment  on  his  Words,  nor  can  we  be  at 
a  Lofs  tor  their  trueMeaning)  for  lie  could  not  have 
appeared  more  as  supremeGod,  nor  polFibly  ipoken 

in    more  dccifive  Language   than  this.* And  yet 

nothing  can  be  plainer  than  that  St.  Paul  underrtood 
the  God  freaking  thro'  the  whole  Chapter,  to  be 
J  ejus  Chrijl.  For  thofe  concluding  Words  in  the  23d 
Verfe,  "  I  have  fworn  by  my  felf, — that  unto  me 
"  every  Knee  (ball  bow,  and  every  Tonirue  (hall 
*'  fwear,"  he  twice  exprclly  applies  to  JfusCkriJf, 
Once  in  Ro?n.  XIV.  10,  11.  **  It  is  written, — Every 
'^  Knee  (hall  bow  to  me."  And  again  in  Phil.  II.  10^ 
1  r.  ''  At  the  Name  ot  Jefus  every  Knee  liiall  bow." 
Yea,  the  hij}ired  IVi  iters  of  the  'Neiv-Tcjiamevt- 
feem  con(^antly  to  conlider  iht  God  ^nd  King  of  Jfrael^ 
wlio  in  the  beginning  created  the  Heavens  and  the 
Earth,  23  tlie  very  fame  Being,  who  aftcrwarJs  dwelt 
in  Flell^,  and  was*  called  J  lui  Ch)  i/l,ivom  the  Libcr- 
ty^thcy  take  to  apply  io  J  Jus  Chrijl  ^  in  their  Writ- 
ings, what  was  fo  evidently  f;.oken  of  the  God  and 
AV;;^  of  Ifraely    in  the  facred  Writings  of  tliC    Old- 

Tcdament. To  mention  hut  two  Inilancts  more. 

In  ail  the  150  Pfalms^    t!iere  are   none,   which  fcem 
B  4  more 

*  The  God  that  fpeaks  in  this  Chapter,  is— The  God,  ivho 

created   the  Unkerfe,  ver.  18. The    God,    v-ho   was 

known  by  iheName  of  **  the  G<id  of  ifr.tel,"  ver.  3.  that 
is,  the  God  who  brought  Jfrael  q\xX  of  ,^f  >/>/,;! nd  led  thtm 

through  the  Wilderncfs And.  the  God   who   delivem* 

the  Jews  out  of  the  Bubyhnifn  Cgpttiity,  ver.  13. — Am 
he  affirms  over  and  over,  "  I  am  the  Lord,  and  there  u 
*'  none  elfe  ;  there  is  none  beiidts  me, there  is  nr  ne  befide: 

"  m." Of  this  very  fame  God.  we  read  ifai.  XL.  3. 

applied  to  ChrilL  Matt.  I{[  :>.  — And  if^i.  LH.  7.  applied 
toChrift,  Rom.  X.  15.— And  ifai.  XL.  10,  11.  applied 
toChiill,  Joh.  X.  i^.— And  ifi.  XLI.  4.  &  XLIV,  6. 
undXLVIlL  12.  applied  toChrift^Rcv.  L  17.  &XXILJ3. 


14  '  Tie  ^Divinity  of  Chnjl. 

more  plainly  to   fpeak  of  the    supreme  God    than 

|the  97th  and  ro2ncJ And  yet  both  theCe  are  con- 

lidered  in  the  Ncw-Teflament  as  fpeakingof  Chriji^ 

''and  accordingly   are  apphed    to  him. The  97rh 

Pfalm  begins  with,  "The  Lord  reigneih,  let  theEarth 
i  *'  rejoice  :"  and  an  infpired  UViter  coniiders  it  as  a 
^Reprefentation  of  the  glorious  Reign  of  the  Mejfinh. 
For  fays  he,  [Heb.  I."6.)  "  When  he  bringeth  the 
"  firft  begotten  into  theWorld,  he  faith.  And  let  all 
**  the  Angels  of  God  vvorfliip  him  :"  referring  to 
the  7th  Verfe  of  the  97th  Pfalm,  "  Worfliip  him,  all 

*'  yeGods." And  in  the  10 2d  Pfahn^  fpeaking  of 

the  SUPREME  God, the P/^/;;2//?  fays,  (ver.  25,  26,27.) 
^  Of  old  had  thou  laid  the  Foundation  of  theEarth, 

and  the  Heavens    are  the   Work  of  thy  Hands. 

They  Hiall  periih,  but  thou  (halt  endure  :  yea,  all 
*'  of  them  fliall  wax  old  like  a  Garment,  as  a 
*'  Vefture  (halt  thou  change  them,  and  they  (liall  be 

changed  :  but  thou  art  the  fame,   and  thy  Years 

fliall  have  no  End."  Which  is  exprefly  applied 
to  Jjfus  Chrijl  in  Heb.  I.  10,  1 1,  12.  * 

Whereforf,  from  what  has  been  faid,  it  Is 
natural  to  obferve, 

I.  That  the  God  and  King  of  Ifrael  we  read 
of  in  the  OhJ-Te/lamrtit^  is  the  very  jame  Being  who 
afterwards  became  incarnate,  and    is   called  by   the 

Name 

^«"|ierc  are  comparntlvely  but  few  PafTagcs  in  the  Old  Tef- 

•^  Tient,  in  which    ve  may  be  certain,   that    it  is  God    the 

3   ,*Ther,  who  fpeaks.  or  is  fpoken  of.      7  here  arc  but  few 

*    afTages  which  could  rot  have  been  applied  to  Chrift,  with 

as  much  apparent  Juftice,  as  thofc  alie;idy  applied  to   him 

by  the  infpired  Writers  of  the  New  Teftament.      if  Chn^ 

>•    was  not  the  God  and  King  of  ifrael,  how  can  they  be  juf- 

'     tificd  in  what  they  have  done  ?  But  if  he  was,  the  Coafe* 

'•-^'jcnce  is  plain. 


The  'Divinity' of  Chrij}.  l^ 

Name  of  Jesus  Christ  in  xhtNnv  Te/lnmenf.  %  i.  e. 
Jesus  of  Nazareth  was  really  the  King  of  the 

Jews. So  certain  as    the  Writers   of   the  New- 

Teftament  were  divinely  infpired,   fo  certainly  may 

this  be  depended  upon. Therefore, 

2.  It  is  beyond  us  to  imagiine  any  Evidences  of 
the  Divinity  of  Chrift,  which  could  polTibly  have 
been  c;iven,  more  clear  and  llriking  than  thofe  which 

liave    been  already  'given.. In  the  Beginning   he 

created  the  Heaven  and  the  Earth,  even  all  Things 
were  created  by  him  and  for  him.  And  he  was  the 
God  of  Mraham^  the  God  of  Ifaac^  and  the  God  of 
J.Koh  \  whom  they  worlhipped,  and  to  whom  they 
built  Altars.  He  appeared  to  Mofc$  in  the  burning 
Bulh  as  the  fupremc  God,  and  fpake  the  Language 

of 

X  <*  But  what  Difference  is  there  then  between  God  the 
**  Father  and  God  the  Son  ?" — I anfwer^  They  are  one 
God,  the  fame  in  Subftance,  equal  in  Power  and  Glory. 
Joh  X.  30.  •*  I  and  my  Father  are  one."  Compared  with 
Joh.  XIV.  7,  8,  9,  10. — And  yet  wiicn  we  are  baptlfed 
•*  in  the  Name  of  the  Father,  and  of  the  Son,  and  of  the 
«*  Holy  Ghod,"  (Matt.  XXVIII.  19.)  and  obferve  how  ip. 
tlie  Gofpel-Difpenfuion  the  Father  fulhins  the  Dignity, 
and  (tands  for  the  Rights  of  the  Godhead,  (Rom.  III.  25.) 
the  Son  becomes  incarnate  and  is  fet  forth  to  be  a  Propiti- 
ation for  Sin,  and  the  Holy  Spirit  inlightens  and  fanctifies 
Sinners  :  I  fiy,  when  we  obferve  thefe  Reprefentations  in 
the  facred  Records,  it  becomes  evident,  that  Father^  Son 
and  H'Jy  6'/'3/?,altho'  they  are  but  of?e  Gody  (i  Joh.  V.  7.) 
plainly  a<5t  as  tho'  they  were  three  dijiin^i  Perfons.—.\T\<i 
if  our  Reafon  cannot  find  out  hymv  they  are  three,  and-ytfT 
but  one  ;  pnd  if  God  lias  not  thought  it  needful  to'inflrud 
.  us  in  this  Point  :  yet  fo  f^r  as  is  revealed,  fo  far  v;e  may 
believe  ;  and  tiiat  with  a  Faith  fufiiciently  didintfl'  to  lay  a 
Foundation  for  Pra»5lice.  The  Believer  may  now, through 
the  Mediation  of  liie  5o«,have  Accefs,  by  the  Afllflance  of 
the  S/iritj  to  the  Father.  Eph.  II.  18. 


h6  The  T>ivlH'ify  cf  Chnjf. 

of  fupreme  Deity  from  Mount  Sinai.    In  the  Taber- 
nacle and  'Temple  he  dwelt  in  the  Fct^n  of  God^   and 
always  fpake  as  thinking  it  no  Robbery  to   be  equal 
%vitb  God.    To  Jfu'iah  he  appeared  as  the  Monarch  ot" 
the  Univerfe,  and  was    worlhipped  by  the  heavenly 
'  HoHs  as  fuch.     And  often  he  repeats  ir,  *'  I  am  the 
'"  Lord,  and  there  is  none  elfe,  and  befide  me  there 
■  ''  is  no  God."     Ai-jd  t  here  fore  yzfiWJ  by  h'unjelf^  tlicre 
'being    no  greater  to  fwear  by   [Heh.  VI.  13.)    that 

every  Knee  fn all  bow  to  him Had  he  been  truly  and 

indeed  by  Nature    supreme  God,   what   could  he 
J  liave  done,  or  what   could   he  have  faid,    to  have 
it  made  more  manit'eft  ? 

3.  If  after  all,   he  was  not  by  Nature  God,   but  a 
^/^eing  17 finitely  inferior  \    not  the    Creator,    but  a 
'  Creature  ;  the  Jewilh  Difpenfation,  which  was   pro- 
,  felTedly  dcfigned  to  efi:ablifh  the  Worfliip  i)f  the  one. 
,  TRUE  God,  in.Oppofition  to  all  others,  was  really 
'calculated  to  eftabliih  Idolatry  (for  aught   I  can  fee) 
and  that  forever.     For   he  appeared  ia  the  Form  ot 
■God,  and  was  taken  to  be  fupreme  God,  and  ena^St- 
cd  it  as  the  firft  and  chief  of  all  his  Lbws,   that   no 
i-God  fhou'd  be  worfliipped  but  Himfe^f.     So  that  to 
deny  ]iis  Divinity,   is  to  fay,   that   the  God   of  the 
Hebrews  was  an  Impofior,    and  to  declare   Abrahamy 
'  Ifaac^  Jacob,  Mofes,  and  all  their  Prcphets^io  be  delud- 
ed Idolaters  :  for  him  they  all  believed  to  be  fuprenrwj 
I  God,  and  him  they  worfhipped  as  fuch.. 
i      4.  But  on    the  other  Hand,    granting  the  Old 
j|and     New    Tellamen^s     to    be   divinely    infpired, 
;  we    may  behold    the    manifold    Wifdom    of    God 

,  iTi^iiyincr  out  his  grand  Plan  as  he  has  done. To 

God    a]'  h;s  Works   were    known    long  before  the 

Foundation   of   the  World. And    among  other 

;.  Things,  the  Incarnation,  and  theDeaih  of  Chrift  as  a 
I  propitiatory  Sacrifice  for  Sin,  were   full  in  the  divine 

View 'Now  what  Methods   (hould  be   taken  to 

render 


The  "lyivlmty  of  Chrifi.  Ij 

render  Mankind,  and  the  whole  intellecflual  S){lc;m, 
fenfible  of  the  infinite  Dignity  of  him  v;ho  died  on 
the  Ciofs  :— —  "Go,"  fays  the  eternal  Father  to 
his  Son,  "  Go,  firll  create  the  World  for  which 
*'  thou  art  to  die,  and  the  whole  Syftem  over  which 
**  thou  art  to  reign,  that  how  deep  foever  thirjcAbafe- 
<<  mcnt  may  be,  thine  eternal  Power  and  God-head 
<*  may  be  to  be  clearly  feen  by  the  Things  thou  haft 
*'  made. — Go,  appear  to  Abraham^  Ijaac  and  Jacob'\\\ 
**  the  Form  of  God,  and  fpeak  to  Mofs^  and  on 
<'  Mount  Sinai, as  plainly  thinking  it  to  be  no  Rob- 
''  bery  to  be  equal  with  God,  and  dwell  in  their  Ta- 
*'  bernacle  and  Temple,  and  reign  as  God  m^d  King 
<«  among  them  ;  that  when  in  the  FuhuTs  of  Time 
*'  thou  flialt  appear  in  the  Form  of  a  Servant  and  in 
"  the  Likencfs  of  a  Man,  and  bleed  and  die  on  the 
**  Crofs,  thy  true  Chara6ter  may  ftill  be  known. 
"  That  when  I  come  to  perform  this  greatefl  of  all 
"  my  Works,  to  give  my  only  begotten  Son  to  die 
"  for  the  World,  it  may  be  underi^ood  by  frail  Mor- 
*'  tals,  what  it  is  1  have  done.'*  * 

God 

*  That  the  Son  was  employed  by  the  Father  as  hisAgent 
to  create  the  Univerfe,  feems  to  be  implied  in  th^t  Manner 
of  fpcaking  in  Eph.  III.  9.  «•  Who  created  all  Things  by 
"  Jefus  Chrid,"  and  in   Heb.  I.    2.    *'  By  whom  he  made 

"the  Worlds." And  that    his    creating    the    World 

manifefts    him     to    be   pofTeficd    of   eternal    Power 

and  God-Head,  is  plain  from  Rom.  I.  20. And  that 

the  Work  of  Creation,  and  his  other  Works  recorded  in 
tlie  Old-Teftament,  were  dtfigned  to  afcertain  his  true 
Character,  as  being  by  Nature  God,  in  the  View  of  frail 
Mortals,  notwithftanding  the  Greatncfs  of  his  intended 
AbafL-ment,  is  evident  from  the  infpired  Writings  of  the 
New-Teflament  ;  as  they  abundantly  improve  them  to 
■;  this  Pur  pole. Other  Kinds  of  iSeings  God  has  employ- 
ed ia  his  Dealings  with  a  fallen  World,  viz,  Angeh  and 

Mca. 


^^  The  D'rSimty  of  Chrift. 

God  forefaw,  his  appearing  in  the  Form  of  a  Ser- 
vant, and  in  the  Likencfs  of  Men,  would,  unlefs 
there  was  fome  Method  taken  to  hinder  it,  induce 
Mankind  to  think  him  but  a  mere  Man  j  and  fo 
prevent  their  feeing  into  the  fubhme  Nature  and 
Glory  of  the  Chriftian  Difpcnfation.  In  his  infinite 
Wifdom,  therefore,  he  appointed  him  fuchWorks  lo 
do,  previous  to  his  Incarnation,  as  might  cffedually 

determine  his  true  Charader. At  hril,  his  Difci- 

ples  themfelves  hardly  believed  him  to  be  fupreme 
God,  or  that  he  was  to  die,  to  make  Atonement  for 
the  Sins  of  the  World  :  for  their  Eyes  were  not  yet 
opened  to  underftand  the  Scriptures  of  theOId-Tella- 
ment,  in  which,  both  theCe  Points  were  fet  in  the 
flrongeft  Light.  The  veryNight  before  He  fullered, 
it  is  plain,  his  Difcipies  had  but  a  feeble  Senfe  of  his 

fupreme 

Men,     And  proper  Care  lias  always   been  taken  to  afcer- 
tain  their  true  Charafter,  as  mere  Creatures,  in  the  facred 
Writings.     So  Mofes  appears  but  a  tnere  Man^   whatever 
high  Titles  he  had  fometimes  given  him.     And  the  Angel 
employed  by  Chrift,  to  communicate  to  St,  Jokn  the  won- 
derful and  glorious  Vifions  and  Revelations  he  had  in  the 
Ifle  of  Patmosy  appears  to    be  but  a  msre  Creature y  (Rev. 
XXII.  9  )  and  he  made  Confclence  of  informing  St.  J'ihn 
in  his  true  Charader.     But  Chrift  appears   in  the  Form  of 
God,  and  fpeaks  and  ads  as  thinking  himfelf  fupremcGod, 
thro'  a  Ion''  Period  of  three  or  four  Thoufand  Years.  And 
granting  him  to  be  really  fuch,   there  could  not  have  been 
a  better  Method  to  determine  his    true  Charader  to   our 
View,  and  prevent  our  entertaining  too  low  Thoughts  o 
him,  on  Account  of  his  appearing  in  the  Form  of  a  Servant 
and  in  the  Likenefs  of  a  Man.     If  now  we  cannot  givl^ 
Credit  to  his  Words,    when  he  fays,  ♦♦  land  my  FatlK  \ 
«*  are  one"  :  yet  furely  we  may  to  his  Works,  while   w   // 
view  him  as  the  Creator  of  the  Uaiverfe,  and  as  the  Gcy 
andKiKGof  the  Jews.  i 


The  'Divinity  of  Chnji.  I? 

fupreme  God-Head.  He  had  before  faid,  that  '«  he 
"  and  hisFather  were  one  :"  (J./;.  X.30.)  but  they^ 
did  not  fully  underftand  him.  He  now  fays,  "  It 
««  ye  had  known  me,  ye  Ihould  have  known  my 
<«  P'ather  ahb  :  and  from  henccfortli  ye  know  him 
'«  and  have  feen  him."  (Job.  XIV.  7.)  But  they 
hardly  knew  what  he  meant.  Thererore  Philips 
being  one  of  them,  fays,  "  Lord,  fliew  us  the  Fa- 
"  THER,  and  it  fufficeth  us.  (ver.  8.)  Jefus  faith 
**  unto  him,  Have  I  been  fo  long  v;ith  you,  and  yet 
<«  hail  tliou  not  known  me,  Philip  ?  He  that  hatli 
"  feen  me,  haih  fecn  the  Father  :  and  how  faye/1: 
"  thou,  (hew  us  the  Father?  ("vcr.  10.)  Be'ieved 
"  thou  not,  that  I  am  in  the  Father5and  the  P'ather 
**  in  me."  But  when  afterwards  their  Ey^s  were 
opened  to  underftand  the  Scriptures  of  the  Old- 
Teftament,  and  in  all  thofe  facred  Pages  to  behold 
him  in  the  Form  of  God,  fpeaking  and  acfting  as 
fupreme  Deity,  now  theirFaith  was  fully  coniirmed. 
Indeed  in  the  Days  of  his  Abafement,  while  hii 
Divinity  was  fo  much  concealed,  his  divine  Glory 
at  Times  flione  into  their  Hearts, and  tliey  "  beheld 
<'  hisGlory,[for  Inftanceon  iheMount,  A/^z/.XVlI.] 
"  as  the  Glory  of  the  only  begotten  Son  of  God." 
(Jr::.  T.  J 4. J  And  fometimes  under  a  divine  Infli!- 
cnce  they  cried  out,  "  Thou  art  the  Son  of  the 
"  hving  God."  (Mat  XVl.xb.)  But  in  general 
their  Senfe  of  his  Divinity  was  but  feeble  ;  fo  that 
after  his  Death  they  even  doubted  his  being  tlie  true 
Meffiah,  (Mar,  XVI.  14.)  They  knew  not  what  ta 
make  of  Things.  {Luk.  XXIV.)  But  after  the  Days 
of  PentenJ}^  when  the  holy  Spirit,  who  infpired  the 
Writings  of  the  Old-Teftament,  was  fo  plentifully 
poured  out  upon  them,  they  never  appear  to  u'cubt 
3ga  n  ;  but  as  in  their  Writings,  fo  no  doubt  ia 
their  Preachings,  they  take  the  utmoft  Liberty  ta 
^pp'y  P?.lTi^«s  in  the  Old-Teftament,  evidently 
C  fpokcu 


C5  The  Div'imly  of  ChrlJI, 

ipoken  of  the  fupreme  God,  the  Crentor  of  thff 
Univcrfe,  the  King  of  Ifrael,  to  Jefus  Chrift  ;  and 
without  Scruple  call  him,  "  Immanuel,  God,  the 
"  true  God,  God[manife{l-  in  the  Flefh,  yceiy  Goti 
^'  overall  blefled  for  ever."  f 

It  is  written  in  Ifai.  IX.  6.  His  Name  JI)aU  be 
called  Wonderful.  And  indeed,  of  allThings  that 
ever  happened  in  the  whole  intelligent  Syftem,  this 
is  the  moft  aftonKhing,  that  the  eternal  God 
who  created  the  Univerfe  fliould  become  incarnate 
n.nd  die  on  theCrofs.  1  hat  the  Babe  in  the  Man- 
ger was  "  the  mighty  God,  the  everlafting  Father, 
*'  the  Creator  of  the  Ends  of  the  Earth  !"— He 
looked  like  another  Child  ;  He  grew  in  Stature  lUce 
another  Child  ;  and  when  grown,  he  appeared  in 
Fafliion  as  a  Man  :  his  ancient  Glory  all  laid  afide  : 
toAppcarance,  a  Man  of  Sorrow,  delpifcd,  condem- 
ned, hated,  ridiculed,  the  laughing-ftock  of  many 
in  Town  and  Counrry,  and  thofc  the  moft  rich  and 
honourable  :  at  laft,  crucified  as  a  Malefactor.  And 
was  this  the  eternal  Jehovah  ! — the  God  of 
THE  w^hole  Universe  ! — this  mean  Man  ' — this 
cucifiedCriminal  ! — Well  might  his  Name  be  called 

Wonderful. O  the  manifold  Wifdom  of  God, 

iii 

I  And  If  his  Difciples  had  fo  little  Senfe  of  his  true  Cha- 
racter, as  fapreme  God,  is  it  in  the  lead  crcilible,  that  the 
Man  ipoken  of  in  7^f<7/.*XIX.  i6.  who  called  him  go(^ 
MaJ}er^  had  {o  much  as  one  Thought  of  his  fupreme 
God  head  ?  far  from  it,  no  doubt.  It  does  not  appear 
that  he  thought  hini  to  be  the  Mcfliah.  But^our  Saviour 
'Icnew  what  he  himfelf  was,  and  pitied  the  Man,  and  faid, 
«*  Why  cailcft  thou  me  good  ?  there  is  none  good,  but 
**  one  God."  As  if  he  had  faid,  "  V'oa  call  me  Goad  : 
"*  Do  yoa  know  who  I  be,  or  vyhat  you  fay  ?  there 
*/  is  none  Good,  but  God  ;  do  you  thii.k'I  am  God*  ?" 
Words  well  contrived  to  put  him  on  a  farther  Enquiry 
V  iato  our  Saviour's  trje  Charader. 


The  Dhhi'ity  of  Chrlfl.  •!  i 

In  appointing  his  Son,  previous  to  his  Incarnation, 
to  appear  in  the  Form  of  God,  and  Ipeak  and  acft 
as  thinking  it  no  Robbery  to  be  supreme  God, 
thro'  a  Period  of  three  or  four  Thoufaiid  Years,  as 
preparatory  and  introduftory  to  this  aftoniihing  A- 
bafeme.it  j  that  there  might  be  fufficient  external 
Evidence,  with  Certainty,  to  determine  his  truo 
Chara6ler,  when    appearing    in    Circumflances    fo 

infinitely  below  his  real  Dignity  ! But  it  isTime 

t-^  proceed,  as  was  propofcd, 

•If.  To  take  a  View  of  our  blciTcd'  Saviour  "  in 
*'  the  Form  of  a  Servant,  in  the  Likenefs  of  Alcn." 

As  Man%  He  had  an  humm  Body,  which,  front' 
theSmallnefs  of  an  Infant,  grew  up  into  the  Stature 
of  a  Alan.— And  an  human  Scul,  in  all  Relpefls  like 
ours,Sin  only  excepted.  {Heb.ll.  i6,  17.) — As  Man, 
God  was  liis  Father  ;  even  as  he  is  theFather  of  the 
whole  Creation  in  general,  and  as  he  is  the  Father 
of  all  good  Men  in  particular  :  and  in  a  (lili  mcic 
eminent  Senfc.  And  God  was  hijs  God.  As  he 
faid,  ''  I  afccnd  to  my  Father,  and  vour  Father,  to 
*'  my  God  and  your  God."  (7;,!?.'XX.,'17..J.  As 
Man,  he  was  dependent  on  GoJ,  aiid  prayed  to 
him,  and  praifed  him.  As  A^an^  he  had  ho  Ability 
to  work  Miracles  ;  but,  tie  Faikcr^  fahh  h^e,  *',tl"'-C 
"  dwelJeth  in  me,he  doth  the  Works."   (JuZ.'Xv. 

10.) As  Man,  he  loved  the  young   Man  in  tlia 

Gofpel  for  his  humane  Difpofition  and  refpcfiful 
Behaviour  : — He  groaned  at  liis  Friend  Lazunu^ 
(jrave— He  wept  over  JerufaJtm — and  was  in  an 
Agony  and  prayed  in  theGarden— and  cried  oji  ^jie 
Crofs,*<  My  God,  myGod,  why  haft  thou  for  fikj.i 
ii  nie!" 

As  Mun^Hz  grsvj  in  Knowledge  and  V/ifdom. 

and  in  Favour  with  God    and  Man    {LuL  II.  52. ^ 

!kj  yet  was  at  an  infiniteRemove  from  ahjchde  (Jm- 

'  •ficme  :  yeajhe  did  not  fo  much  as  kaow  when  the 

C  2  -  Day 


-11  The  T>kHmty  of  Chrifl, 

Day  of  Judgment  wotld  be.  [Mor.XWl.  xi-.)  The 
Deity,  who  vas  the  Father  *  of  the  Man  Chrift 

Jefus, 

*  By  the  Father  is  rometlmes  meant  the  firfl   Per/on  in 

the  Trinity,  as  in  Mat.  XXV JII.  19.   i  Joh.  V.  7.  — But 

at  other  Times,  is   plainly  meant  the  Deitv,    without 

Reference   to   any  DilHndion  of  Perfons,   as  in  Joh.  IV, 

23,  24.    I  Jch.  II.  15,  &c. 

Cr.jEC.  ♦♦  But  if  Jefus  Chrift  was  God  and  Man,  in  one 
rcrfon,  how  could  that  one  Perfon  fay,  that  he  knew  not 
tr.e  Day  of  judnment  ?  for  if  he  did  not  know,  as  Man, 
yet  he  did,  as  liC  was  God." 

A.NSW.  It  was  ufual  for  our  Saviour  to  fpcak  after  this 
Manner.  Jsh.y^.  15^  *' I  lay  down  my  Life  for  the 
5'heep."  Now  how  could  that  one  Perfon  Ay,  "  I  Isy 
down  my  Life"  ?  Wa«  the  divine  Nature  to  die  ?  and  yet 
vas  not  thai  l^ature,  Himfelf  ?  Certainly  it  was.  For 
he  adds,  ver.  i3.  **  I  have  Power  to  lay  it  down,  and  I 
have  Power, to  take  it  again."  Certainly  the  human 
Kature  had  not  Power  to  raife  It  fclf  from  the  Dead. — 
So  Joh.  VIII.  58.  "  Before  Abraham  was,  I  am."  But 
how  could  thcit  be  true  ?  for,  as  Man,    he  was  fliort    of 

^o  Years  old. So  again,    Jch,  III.  13.     "  Even    the 

Son  of  Man,  which  is  in  Heaven."  Certainly  the  human 
Nature  of  ChriA  was  not  then,  nor  ever  had  been  in  Hea- 
%en.  And  if,  confiUcnt  with  Truth,  he  might  fay,  that 
the  Son  of  Man  is  in  Heaven^  altho'  the  human  Nature 
rever  was  there  ;  he  might  as  well  fay,  the  Son  knovjeth 
7:ot,  shho'  the  divincNaturc  did  know. — The  Manner  of 
fpeaking,  when  honeftly  attended  to,  infiead  of  tending  to 
iniflead  us,  tends  to  fet  the  very  Truth  in  a  HrikingLight, 
%iz.  that  he  was  very  Cod,  and  very  Man. •^^•^-'  ?iTA  agrea* 
b!c  hereto  we  may  obfcrvc,  that  the  fame  Perfon  that 
r»ys,  not  the  Son,  but  the  Father  only,  in  Mar.  XIII.  32. 
f.ys  alfo,  I  and  viy  Father  are  one.  Joh.  X.  30.  And,  he 
t'at  hath  fen  me,  hath  feen  theFather.  Joh.  XIV.  9.  Thi 
Father  that  d'welleth  in  mf,  he  doeth  ihe  IVorks.  (ver.  10.) 
N.  B.  In  this  lad  Text,  he,   dilhnguiflilng  between  his 

humarv 


"The  'Divhihy  of  Chri/f. 


Ik 


Jefus,  how  intimately  foever  united  to  him,  had 
never  imparted  to  him  the  Knowledge  cf  this 
Thing.  The  Union  was  fuch,  as  that  he  might 
juftiy  be  named  Immanuel  {Mat.  i.  23.)  yet  the 
Natures  remained  d'l/lin^.  And  the  human  Nature 
was  not  conl'cious  to  the  Ideas  of  the  divine^  only 
ns  they  were  imparted.  This  was  the  Cafe  when 
he  dwelt  on  f-arrh,  notwithftanding  his  perfonal 
Union  to  the  fecond  Perfon  in  the  Trinity  ;  and  \X. 
is  Hill  the  Cafe  now  he  is  in  Heaven,  notwithftand- 
ing  his  Exaltation  and  Glory  ;  He  knows  not  the 
Secrets  of  the  Divinity  any  farther  then  they  are 
communicated  to  him.  Therefore  we  have  that 
ExprefTion  in  Rcv.l,i.  "The  Revelation  of 
"  Jefus  Chrirt,  which  God  gave  unto  him."  And 
doubtlefs,  it  is  fimply  Lmpoilible,  that  any  Creature 
fhould  be  confcious  to  the  Ideas  of  the  Divinity, 
as  a  Man  is  confcious  to  the  Thoughts  of  his  owa 

Heart,    by  immediate  Infuition. But   he   was  not 

only  a  Mau.,  but  aifo  took  c?i  hi?n 

The  For77t  of  a  Srrvant. x\nd  as  fuch,  He  re- 
ceived all  his  Power  and  Authority  from  his  Faihrr^ 
as  he  conftantly  declares,  and  all  his  Inftruc^ions. 
For  he  came  not  of  himfelf^  nor  to  do  hii  oiun  IVill^ 
nor  to  feek  his  own  Gbry  ;  but  his  Father  fent  him  ; 
and  he  fpake  and  ac^ted  altogether  as  his  Servaat. 
And  as  fuch,  *'  his  Father  was  greater  than  he  " 
C  3  Ma. 

human  and  divine  Natures,   calls  hh    divine  Nature   th 
Father.     Therefore,  when  he  fiys  {Mar.  XIII.  32.)  /Vsf 

f,^e  Son,  but  the  Father  only,    the  Senfc  is  plain. Nor 

is  it  any  Objedlion  againft  this,  that  Chrirt  fpeaks  of  the 
Father  as  di!tinc5l  from  hirafelf  in  both  thefe  Inftances. 
For  in  the  fame  Difcourfe  (/U7r.,XIII.'  19.)  he  fpeaks  of 
God  the  Creator  as  one  diftina  from  himfelf.  Ye*  hira- 
U\f  was  the  God  that  created  all  Things.  However, 
'r     hioifclf  was  a  Creature  too.    5ee  all"^  Joh,  VI.  42, 


The  T>tvimty  cf  Chrtjl. 

>^^/.XXVIII.i8.  Job.  VII.  x6, 17,  i8.  &  Xri.  40, 

50.  and  XIV.  28.  t 

And  a  principal  Command   he  had  received  of 

'^\sFather,  was  to  "  Jay  down  his  Life  for  hisSheep." 

Jch.  X.  15--18.)  And  fuch  was  his  Regard  to  his 

other's  Honour,   and  to  the   Salvation  of  Sinners, 

•hat  he  wa^  obedient,  even  to  the  Death  of  theCrofs. 

Wherefore  his  Father  loved  him,  and  in  Teftimony 

of  his  Love,  highly  exalted  him, and,  as  Mediator, 

i"et  him  at  the  Head  of  the  Univerfe,  and  made  him 

Heir  of  all  Things,   (for,  as  Go^i,  he  was,    by  an 

underived Rrght^hoxA  of  all  Things  before,  IJai.Vl.i.) 

and  gave  him  a  Name  above  every  Name,   that   to 

the  Name  of  Jefus    every    Knee  fhould  bow,  and 

every 

f  .    ■ 

'   All  the  Power  and  Authority,  by  which    the  Medintor 

adts.in  the  v;hoIe  of  his  Mediatoral  Work  is  derived, from 

the  Father.     He  a6ts  wholly  as  his  Father's  Vicegerent, 

and  by  hisCommiflion.   "  He  can  do  nothing  of  himfclf." 

'  Joh.  r.  19.  He  gives  Gifts  to  his  Church,  (Epb.  IV.  8. 

Pfal.  LXVm.  i8.)Scndsthe  HolySpirit,  (>h.  XIV.  16, 

26.  XV.  26.)  Subdues  all  Enemies  (R.ev.  XIX.  11—  21. 

I  Cor.  XV.  27. )  raifes  the  Dead,  (Joh.  V.  21,  25,  26.) 

r.nd  judges  the  WorH,  (Ver,  27-)  wholly  by  this  derived 

Authority.     And  **  it  hath  pleafed  the  Father,  that   alf 

**  Fulncfs    fhould   dwell   in  him."  Col.  I.  19. i^nd 

tjiefc  Texts  liere  referred  to,  inftead  of  proving,  that  he 

is  not  byNatureGod,(as  the.'/rwArj  iuppofe)dooniy  prove, 

that,  he,  who  vv'as    in  the  Form  of  God,  and  thought  it 

not  Robbery  to  be  equal  with  God,  really  "  took  on  him 

•*  the  Form  of  a  Servant." — All  mere  Crcaturcsare  (like 

thofe  born  in  a  State  of  Servitude)  God's  Servants  from 

their  very  fir(t  Exigence.  But  he  originally  was  not  God's 

S.trvant.     lie  was    at    his  own  Difpofid,    and  became   a 

Servant    by    a  voluntary  Adi.     '•  He   took    on  Him    tlie 

**  Form  of  a  Servant."     It   is  no  Condtfcenfion  for  the 

mod  cx-^-lted  Ar^ge!  in  Heaven  to  be  God's  Sc'rvant  ;  Kt 

if  was  infinite  Condefccnfioa    for  \\y    "^ ^  ^  '-'     -- ■'  :"  ' 

cojie  a  Scrvict  t^  his  Father. 


The  7>ivlnity  of  Chrijf,  *,^ 

every  Tongue  confefs,  that  Jefus   is   Lord,    to  the 

Glory  of  God  the  Father  : Nothing  being  more  to 

the  Glory  of  God  the  i^7//;^r,than  To  highly  to  ex'? 
a  Servant,  who  had  Ihewn  To  great  Regard  to  his 
Honour,  and  to  the  Honour  of  his  Law  and  Go- 
vernment and  facredAuthorityj — And  nothing  beine- 
more  to  the  Glory  of  God  the  Father,than  that  the 
whole  Univerfe  ihould  bow  to  the  Name  of  his 
great  Vice-gerent,  exalted  to  fit  at  his  own  right 
Hand,  as  a  Reward  of  his  Fidelity  to  his  Father^ 
while  acting  in  the  For?n  of  a  Servant.  |j 

Among  all  the  Servants  of  God, none  ever  did  fo 
much  to  the  Glory  of  God,  nor  ever  fliewed  fuch  a, 
Lo\'e  to  Righteoufnefs  and  Hatred  of  In:quitv,as  he, 
and  none  ever  received  fo  great  a  Reward.  He  was 
'•  anointed  withQil  of  Gladnefs  above  his  Fellows" 
(rich.  L  9.)  Above  all  his  Fellow-fervants,  whether 
Angels  or  Men,  and  however  faithful  to  him  that 
a]  pointed  them  :  none  ever  were,  or  ever  will  be 
exalted  to  fo  great  Glory. 

For  He  (its  at  the  h£i7d  of  the  Univerfe   even   at 

^*  theFather's  right  Hand,  far  above  all  Principality, 

*'  and  Power,  and  Might,  and  Dominion."  (Eph.  1. 

20,  21.)  And  here,  as  his  Father's  Vice-gerent,  God- 

C  4  Man^ 

11  None  will  think,  that  it  would  be  to  the  Henour  of  the 
fupreme  God,  to  give  too  high  a  Seat  and  too  much  Ho- 
nour to  any  of  his  Servants.  But  mcthinks  this  was  too 
mucii  lionour  to  be  paid  to  a  mere  Creature  :  for  it  is 
the  ve-y  No:ww,  which  the  fupreme  God  ••  fwears  fljail 
**  be  paid  to  hnr.felf."  (ifa.  XLV.  23.)  And  it  is  a 
M.ixini  nith  thr  fupreme  God,  '*  Not  to  give  hisGlcry  to 
"  arKJtlKr."  (\h.  XLII.  8.  andXLVUI.  11  )  But  that 
Saying  of  our  blcffed  Saviour  in  Joh.  X.  30.  removes  the 
J)iiTiG'jity  at  once.  "  I  and  my  Father  are  one."  So 
rarv  we  miy  *'  honour  tli«  Son  even  as  we  honour  th^ 
'.^  L,,!„r  '  /  jof^.  v^  20,.)  Ar\d  it  is  as  God  would  hayc 
■ '  the  Glory  of  God  the  Father." 


C6  The  T>iv'imty  cf.ChnJI. 

Jlkn-Medlotcr-Kin^^  He  is  to  reign  till  all  his  Ene- 
mies are  putunler  his  Feet,  till  fhe  final  Judgment 
,  is  over,  and  sll  the  Affairs  of  an  apolkte  World  arc 
fettled.  And  then  he  will,  in  Tellimony  that  he 
has  a(5\ed  ail  as  his  Father's  Servant,  refisn  this  de- 
legated Authority.     And    God  Jlmll  he  all  m  all. 

As  his  Father's  Servant.,  He  received  this  Authority, 
to  dei\roy  the  Works  of  the  Devil,  to  bring  Good 
out  of  aD  the  Evil  Sin   had  introduced,  and  put  an 

•  End  to  all  the  Diforder  and  Confufion  in  the  intel- 
Icflual  Syilem,  confequent  on  the  Apoibfy  of  An- 
gels and  Men  :  and  having  finifhed  his  Work,  lie 
refigns  the  Kingdom  to  the  Father.,  the  firft  Perfon 
in  the  ever-blell'ed  Trinity,  to  whom,  as  fuch,  the 
Government  of  the  World  properly  belongs, 
and  He  fhall  take  the  Kingdom,  and  rtign  over  the 

I   Univerfe  for  ever  and  ever.     And  Jefus  Chrift  him- 

;   felf,  as  Mediator,  fnall  be  fubjec5t  to  him,  as  is  fui- 

I   table,  that  the  God  head  only  may  be  exalted,    and 

as    it  really  is,  fo  it  may  appear  to   be,  all  in  all. — 

fyi^or  while  the  Father  reigns,    the  whole   God-head 

'   reigns  in  him.     So  that,  while  the  Son,  asMediator, 

rchgns    the  Kingdom   to  him  ;  yet,  as  God,    He 

reigns  in  Him,  and  forever  will.     But  his  mediato- 

rialGovernment  he  refigns,(even  that  delegatedAu- 

thority,wheieby,  as  his  Father's  Sef-vant.,  he  had  ruled 

the  Unroerfey  in  the  Capacity  of  God  Alan-  Mediator  - 

King',)    having   finiflied   the    Work   which  he  was 

impowered  and  authorized  to  do.  * 

As 

*  Object.  *  But  it  is  v/rltten,  that  Chrlfl  *'  dial!  rei^ 
*♦  over  the  Hoiife  of  Jacob  for  ever."  Luk.  I.  33.  "  His 
•'  Kingdom  is  an  evcrlafting  Kingdom."  Dan.  VKI  27. 
*  His  •*  Throne  Is  for  ever  and  ever."  HeU.  1.  8.  And 
*•  hefhdl  reign  for  ever  and  ever."  Rev,  XI.  15.' 

Anfsver.  Christ,  at  prefcnt,  as  Medir.tor,  reign* over  the 
fwboU  Univerje,     Ail  Beings,   ihe -father  only  excepted, 

(  aw 


The  "Dhlmty  of  Chnjl,  tj 

As  God- Man- Mediator ^\n  two  diftincflNaturcs,  yet 
but  one  Perfon,  He  was  his  Father  s  Servant.-^'— As 
fuch,  he  became  obedient  unto  the  DeatJi  :  There- 
fore the  Church  is  laid  to  be  redeemed  tuiih  the 
hloodofGod.  (/^J?XX.  28.)  And  C^.Yisfaidtohave 
laid  down  his  Life  for  us.  1  Joh.lW.  16. — And,  as 
fuch,  he  afcended  to  Heaven  and  led  Captivity  cap- 
tive ;  and  therefore  St.  PW  applies  what  is  fpokcrl^f 
God  in  Pfal.  LXVIII.  18.  to  Him,  in  Eph,  IV.  8.— 
And,  as  fuch,  He  was  cxahed  to  the  higheft  Glory 
in  Heaven,  and  every iCnee  ordered  to  bow  to  him  ; 
and  fo  what  is  fpoken  of  God  in   Jfai.  XLV.  23.  is 

applied   to    him,   in  Phil.  II.    10. For   He   was 

God  as  well  as  Man,  God-Man,  one  Pcrfon  ;  and 
as  God's  Servant,  in  the  greatWork  of  Redemption, 
he  was  obedient  unto  Death,  and  as  God's  Servant 
was  rewarded  with  this  high  Exaltation 

Thus  (lands  the  Chara^er  of  Jefus  Chrift  In  the 
facred  Writings  of  the  Old  and  New-Te/iaments :  all 
which   cannot  be  better  fummed  up  than  in   the 

Words 

are  under  his  Authority,  i  Cor.  XV.  27.  But  when  he 
has  fnilhcd  the  Work,  for  which  he  is  invefled  with  this 
tiniverfal  Authority ^t  will  refign  this  univerfal  CotKviiji- 
on,  and  the  Father  take  the  Government  of  the  Vniverfe. 
However,  he  will,  as  Mediator,  ftill  **  reign  over  the 
**  Houfe  of  Jacob  [his  redeemed  ones]  forever."  It  is 
needful  now,  that  Angels  (hould  be  under  liim,  to  Le  hin 
minirtring  Spirits  ;  and  that  he  fhould  have  full  Authority 
over  Earth  and  Hell,  for  the  Good  and  Safely  of  his 
Church  :  But  then  the  Mediator  will  need  the  Angels  no 
Jongcr  for  miniflring  Spirits,  to  minirter  to  the  Heirs  of 
Salvation,  who  will  be  all  fafe  in  Heaven.  Nor  will  he 
have  any  Thing  more  to  do  with  wicked  ^^en  andDe-vila, 
As  for  th>!  Wicked,  their  Day  of  Grace  will  be  over  ;  and 
reither  they,  nor  the  Devils  can  do  any  more  Mifchief. 
ITaving  fhut  thera  up  in  Hell>  he  will  give  up  the  Keys  to 
his  Father, 


sS  "The  T>'ivhihy  of  ChnJI, 

VJoxds  orthe//j&^/^,who  feems  to  have  had  all  thefe 

Things  in  his  View. "  Who  being  in  the  Form 

*'  of  God,  thought  it  not  Robbery  to  be  equal  with 

*'  God  :  but  made  himfelf  of  no  Reputation,  and. 

*'  took:  upon  him  the  fornn  of  a  Servant,  and  was 

**  made  in  the  Likenefs  of  i\4en  :  and  being  found 

^^1  Failiion  as  a  Pvlan,  he  humbled  himfelf,  and 

H^Kame  obedient  unto  Death,  even  the  Decth  of 

'  ^^PIf  Crofs.     Wherefore  God  hath  alfo  highly  ex- 

"  alted  him,  and  given  him  aName  which  Ts  above 

"  every  Name  :  that  at  the  Name  of  Jefus  every 

/'  Knee  fhould  bow,of' Fhings  inHeaven,  ^Things 

*'  in  Earth,  and  Things  under  theEarth  ;  and  that 

*'  every  Tongue  (liould  confefs,  that  Jefus  Chrift  is 

"  Lord,  to  thcGlbry  of  God  the  Father  j"  in  whole 

Nan^  headminiftcrs  his  mediatorial  Kingdom,  and 

to  whcfe  Honour  he  profelTedly  refers  it. 

And  thus  we  have,  as  was  propofedj^^ken  a  View 
of  Jefus  Chrift  ;  pjiy  as  being  in  the  Form  of  God^ 
and  fpeaking  and  acting  as  thinking  it  no  Robbery 
'^o  be  equal  with  Gcd  :  at»d  then, as  having  taken  upon 
^iim  the  Form  of  a  hervant^  appearing  in  \\\z  Likenefs 
of  Men,  And  have  i^tw  the  Meth.od  infinite  Wif- 
dom  took  lo  afcertain  his  trueCharadler,  that  the 
Greatnefs  of  his  Abafement  might  not  miilead  frail 
A'lortaJs,  nor  raife  one  fufpicious  Thought  of  tha 
infinite   Dignity   of,  his   Pcrfon,    as    our  great 

Immanuel. A^  now  therefore, 

I.  What  an  inhi-sl^Ftondefcenfion   was  it  in 

the  eternal  God,  the  Creator  of  tiie  Univerfe,  who 

jh^d  appeared  in  the  Form  of  God,  and  fpake  and 

ac^Ud  as  thiiiking  it  lio  Robbery  to   be-  equal  with 

God,  thro'  a  long  Period  of  three  or  four  I'houfand 

''Years,  to  lay  i-fide  all  his   Glory,  and  from  being 

worlhipped  as  fuprenic  God,to  become  of  noRep<:- 

^tation,  and  even  take  upon  him  th.e  Form  of  a  Ser- 

''.'jnt   and  r'ie  Likenefs  of   Men!    Well  mi^^lit  S-. 


The  T>ivi?uty  of  Chnjl/  ip 

Paul  urge  this  Example,  as  a  powerful  MnccmeiU, 
on  all  tlie  Difciples  ot  ChriiV,  to  be  full  of  Love  and 
Condefcenfion  towards  one  another.  PLilM.  i — 5.* 
Bur, 
2.  How  ingrateful,  yea  how  impious  would  it  bo 
in  us,  to  rake   Occafion  from    his  anpeuri";^  in  the 
Form  of  a  Servant,   and  in    the  Likenels  of  Me| 
which  was  for  our  SakeSy  to  take  Occalion  (I. fay), 
this, to  call  hisDiviNiTY  intoQueftion. — E(pc< 
now  fince  we  are  fo  plainly  informed,  ^y  the 
Ghoft,  who  inipired  the  Writers  D*\\\t  New-Tefta- 
ment,  that  he  is  the  very  fame  God  who  in  the  Be- 
ginning cre'ifed   the  Heavens    and    the  Earth,  and 
appeared  to  Abraham^  IJoac^  and  Jacob,  to  Mofes  and 
IJalah,  and  who  was  believed  to  be  the  fupreine  Gody 
and  woruT.pped  as  fuch  by  all  the  Patriarchs  and 
Propkt'ts : — Only  becaufe  he  has  laid  afidc  his  God- 
like Form,  and  taken  the  Form  of  a  Seivant  ;  .  and 
inftead  of  fpcaking  like  a  God  from  Mount  Sinai, 

appears  and  fpeaks  like  a  Man  ; Tfiat  we  (hould 

immediately  doubt  his  Divinity,  and  lo^k  uponlii;n 
as  a  mere  Man,    wlicn  yet  all  this  Abafcment  was 

for  our  Sakes  ! How  mull  He  look  upon  it  !*- 

How  muft  He  refent  it  I 

Just 
*  But  how  does  his  Argument  lofc  all  its  Force,  as  xhcJri- 

ans  interpret  and  underfland  theApoflle's  Words  ! 

•*  Who  being  in  the  Form  of  God,  by  being  his  Minilfer 
*'  and  Reprefentative,  did  n^Jl^oudly  and  vainly  affumc 
**  to  be  equal  with  God,"  &c.  (thus  Chutb)  For  what 
Condefctnfion  v/as  it, for  a  mere  Creature,  as  they  fay  he 
was,  not  to  afpire  after  fupi-enie  God  head  ?  Can  a  mere 
Creature  be  looked  upoo  as  very  condefcendlng,  becaufe 
lie  is  rot  as  proud  as  Satan  himfelf  ?  And  can  we  fuppofe 
the  infpired  Apoflle  would  argue  thus,  Ver.  8.  "  Let  this 
*'  Mind  be  in  you, which  was  alfo  inJefusChrid," — «  v-ho 
"  being  but  a  mere  Creature,  was  ^o  very  condcfcending, 
•*  as  rot  to  pretend  to  be  equal  with  God.'— — And  yet 
this  mud  be  his  Argument,  as  they  interpret  his  Words. 


33  The  "Drowity  of  Chrlj}. 

Just  thus  did  i\\t  wicked  Jews  (yet  we  are  more 
to  blame  than  they  ;  becaufe  we  have  more  Light, 
and  better  Advantages  to  form  a  right  Judgment  of 
his  true  Charaatr)  I  fay,  juft  thus  did  the  iiicksd 
Jeti'S:  when  they  charged  Him  with  Blafphemy,  tor 
Saying,  "  1  and  my  Father  are  one."  <«  Thou"  (fay 
they)  **  being  a  Man,  makeft  thy  felf  God."  Here 
'was  his  CnW,and  here  was  theirPr^^.  (Joh.  X.  33.) 
— He  had,  upon  a  likeOccalion,  fome  time  ago,  re- 
ferred them  TO  tlie  Scriptures  of  theOld-Tedament 
in  general,  to  dccine  his  true  Charac5tcr  ;  (Joh.  V, 
185  39.)butto  httlePurpofe. — He  now  thereforconly 
refers  them  to  a  particular  Paflage  in  the  LXXXIld 
Pfalm,  the  6th  Verfe,  faying,  ♦'  Is  it  not  written  in 
*'  your  Law,  I  faid,  Ye  are  Gods  ?  And  if  he  called 
"  them  Gods,"  &c.  i.  e-  ''  If  the  TyptSj  which 
"  were  Shadows,  were  called  Gods ;  the  Antitype, 
**  "Ahich  is  the  Subftance,  mufi:  be  real  God.  U 
"  they  had  ih^Name^  He  muft  have  the  Ihrn^,  For 
*'  tkeScripiure  cannot^  in  anyParticular,/'^  broken.  Not 
*'  only  all  the  Prophecies,  but  alfo  all  the  Types  of 
*'  the  MelFiah  mult  be  verified  in  him.  You  have 
*'  no  Reafon  therefore  to  charge  the  Melllah  with 
^^  Blafphemy,  for  claiming  to  be  the  Son  of  God.  ♦ 

And 

*  It  is  worthy  our  Attention,  that,  In  the  facred  Wruings 
of  the  Old-Tcdament,  the  chief  Rulers  in  Ifracl  are  called 
Gods,  {Excd.  XXVli|»:28.)  and  Children  of  the  most 
High.  (Pfal.  LXXXil.  6.)  V\  hich  doubt Icfs  was,  be- 
caufe they  were  defigned  to  be  Types  of  Chriflt  who  was 
by  Nature  Cod,  and  the  very  Son  of  God. 

For,  as  has  been  before  obferved,  God  himfcif  was  the 
icing  of  thejews.  As  it  is  wrhten,  "  The  Lord  yourGod 
**  was  your  King."  I  Sam.  XII.  12.  And  this  God  was 
Jefus  Chrilt,  as  has  been  before  proved. — Then  he  ap- 
peared in  the  Form  of  God. — And  tha^  there  might  be  a 
^hado^  ©f  the  State  he  was  afterwards  to  be  in,  when  \n 


The  Divinity  of  Chrlfl,  3 1 

''«  And  indeed  notwithdandinoj  theMeannefs  of  my 

**  Appearance  in  your  Eves,  while  you  behold  \xi'z 

D  *'  in 

the  Form  of  a  Servant,  a^fling  as  his  Father's  Delegate^ 
he  con(tituted  the  Jewifli  Rulers  to  be  his  Delegates  then. 
He  anointed  and  authoiized  them  (iS^w.X.  i.  &XVf. 
12,  13.)  as  he  was  to  be  anointed  by  his  Father,  and 
fanHified  zvi^fcrjt  into  the  World,  and  to  receive  all  his 

Authority  from  him. They  were  called   the    l^ord^s 

' Anzintcdy  the  L^jrd's  Mejjlfih,  (as  it  is  in  the  Original) 
as  that  was  the  Name  by  which  lie  was  to  be  knov/n.  He 
was  to  be  called  rhzChriJ},  i.  e.  lhc.*//2oinL'dy  thcMeJiah  ,• 
for  all  are  the  fanicName,and  mean  the  fameThing.  J9/?. 

I.  41. And  they  were  direded  from  Time  to  Time 

by  xhdVord  of  thi  Lord,  which  came  to  ths?n  when  they 
went  to  enquire  of  the  Lord,  (i  SaT?t.  XIV.  18,  10. 
and  XXVIII.  6.  and  XXX.  7,  8.  2  Sam.  11.  i.).  AnJ 
as  Gods  they  fat  upon  the  Throne  of  the  Lord,  and  reign- 
ed  over  the  Kingdom  of  the  Lord,   (i  Lhron.  XXIX.  23  • 

2  Chron.  XIII.  8.) In  all  which,  they  were  Types  of 

^  the  Mefiahy  who  in  the  Fulnefs  cf  Time  was  to  become 
incarnate,  to  be  ancintsdy  fan£lifiedi  and  fent  into  the 
World,  to  aft  in  all  Things  according  to  his  Father's 
Commandment,  as  his  Father's  Delegate,  and  as  fuch  \<> 
be  exalted  to  fit  on  bis  Throne  in  Heaven,  at  the  Head 
of  the  Creation,  to  govern  the  Church  and  the  World* 
— And  thefe  Types  were  named  Codsy  and  called  tbt 
Children  of  the  77iofi  High  ;  as  the  great  Antitype  was  the 
So7i  of  God,  and  one  nvith  his  Father. — They  were  Sha" 
donvs  ;  he  is  the  Suhfance.  They  were  called  Gods  2 
he  is  really  God. So  that  this  is  the  Force  of  our  Sa- 
viour's Argument  ;  •*  Vv'hat  theTypes  were  inKame  ar.d 
**  Shadow,  that  the  Antitype  mull:  be  in  Reality  and  Sub- 
**  ftance  ;  for  the  Scriptures  cannot  be  broken  :  But  thef:; 
•*  Types  were  Gcds  in  Name  and  Shadow  :  Therefore 
'**  the  M^iah,who  is  theAntityp-,  mud  be  6'i>^  iriRealiiy 

"  and  Subftance." Thus  in  the  Jew ifli  Sacrifices  there 

was  a  Shadow  of  Suhjlituiian,  aad  they  were  called 

/itonsments  ^ 


32  ^i^  T>k}ntfy  of  Chrtjl^ 

**  in  the  Likcncfs  of  ^en,  yet  myTVorks,  whIcH 
"  ^'ouallo  fee,  evidence  myDivinity.  If  you  cannot 

-    *'  give 

Jhonements  ;  Co  in  Jefus  Chrift  there  was  a  real  Suhjii* 
tution,  and  a  real  Jtoneifient.  (Sec  ray  Sermon  on  Gal. 
3.  24.)  And  indeed,  the  IMcfliah  mud  be  in  Reality  all 
Uiat  which  the  Types  were  in  Na7ne  and  Shenx)^  othcrwifc 
the  Scripture  would  not  be  accomplifhcd  and  verified. 
If  any  therefore  fliould  lay,  **-that  as  the  Jewish  Kings 
"  were  Gods  by  Ofncc,  lb  Ghrift  was  only  a  God  by 
*'  Office  ;  as  they  only  had  the  Shadow  of  Divinity,  lo 
^*  He  only  has  the  Shadow  of  Divinity  ;" — I  anfwer, 
Then  the  Scripture  is  broken  :  The  Types  aie  not  ac- 
con^plifhed  in  the  Antitype.  It  is  all  a  Shadc^wM(^}^.  The 
Subjiance  is  not  come.  And  the  prophetic  Prayer^  'with 
which  the  LXXXHd  t^falm  concludes,  is  never  to  be  an- 
fwered.  *'  Arife,  O  God,  judge  the  Earth  :  for  thoa 
*'  Ihait  inherit  all  Nations."  For  if  is  not  a  God,  but  a 
Tncre  Creature,  that  is  to  have  *'  the  Hea-thea  for  hij 
**  Inheritance,  and  the  utm oft  Parts  of  the  Earth  for  hif 

"  PolTefiion."  Pjal.  II.  8. And  if  his  Divinity  is  but 

a  Shadow,  fo  is  his  Atonement.  The  true  Atonement  is 
rot  come.  The  Types  are  not  fulfilled.  The  Scripture 
if  broken.  And  we  are  yet  in  our  Sins.  For  the  Blood 
of  one  mere  Creature  can  no  more  make  a  real  Atonement 
than  the  Blood  of  another  mere  Creature.  The  Blood 
of  a  Bull  or  a  Goat,  and  the  Blood  of  a  mere  Afan,  arc 
equally  at  an  infinite  Remove  from  any  Virtue  to  make  a 
proper  Atonement  for  Sin.  All  that  has  been -done  is  a 
mere  Shadow.  ^hzTC  is  tt&  Subjiance  in  it.  And  fo 
the  Scripture  is  broltm ::  and  the  Truth  of  divme  Reve- 
lation, in  general,  overthrown.  For  \i  any  otie  Thing, 
held  forth  in  aType  or  a  Prophecy,  Ihould  failof  Accora- 
pli(hment,  the  Truth  of  that  whole  Revelation,  in  which 
that  Type  orprophecy  is  contained,  would  be  overthrown. 

So  that  granting  the  Old-Teftanient  to   be  divinclf 

infpired,  our  $a?iour  9  ArgumcQt  amounts  10  t  Uri^t  De* 
si^nHratioo. 


Tie  'Dhinhy  of  Chrijl.  3  J 

"  giveCredit  to  my Wor.ds,yet  furely  you  may  to  the 
**  Works  wrought  by  n\^  j.  which  evidently  are 
^^  not  the  Works  of  a  mere  Man.  And  they  arc 
*'  a  fufficlent  Proof  that  the  Father  is  in  me,  and  I 
"  in  him,  i.  c.  that  I  and  my  Father  ar.e  one.*'  {Job, 
X.  34 — 38.)  So  fpake  the  incarnate  God,who  of  old 
dwelt  in  thcirTabeniacle/rom  whence  thelf^ordafGad 
ufed  to  come  forth  to  their  chief  Rulers,  when  they 
tame  to  enquire  of  the  Lord,  Then  He  was  their  God, 
and  King,  and  Oracle.  Now  all  hisGlory  is  laid 
afide.  He  is  of  no  Reputation..  Nor  can  any 
Thing  he  fays,  nor  all  the  mighty  Works  he  had 
wrought,  ailwage  their  Anger,  or  keep  their  Hands 
from  Violence.  He  is  obliged  to  leave  theTemple, 
D  2  where 

The  Senfc  the  Ariam  give  to  tIicW<Jrds,  is  this.  *•  I  and 
*'  my  Father  are  one,  i.  e.  engaged  in  the  fame  Dcllgn. 
•'  And  wlicn  the  Jews  ilico'  Millakc  thought  he  meant, 
•*  that  lie  was  one  nuitB  God  :  He  anfwers,  /  do  not 
•*  mean^  I  am  God  by  Nature^  but  only  God  by  Office'.'* 
—  Query  I.  What  was  this  Anfwcr  to  the  Purpofe  ?  — 
Query  II.  Why  did  not  he  exprcfly  tell  them,  that  he 
only  meant  he  was  engaged  in  the  fame  Defign  with  his 
father,  as  all  other  good  Men  alt  ?  This  would  have 
cleared  him  from  the  odious  Charas^tcr  of  a  Blafphemer, 
and  prevented  their  taking  up  Stones  again  to  ftone  hiai. 
And  if  indeed  he  was  but  a  Man»  all  muH  own,  it  was 
hisDuty  to  have  fpoken  out,  in  as  plain  a  Manner  as  Paul 
and  Barnabas  did,  when  the  People  of  Ly/ira  took  ihcin 
for  Gods,  and  were  aboMt  to  offer  Sacrifice  to  tiie»o. 
(M.  XIV.  15.)  But  to  fuffcr  himfcif  to  pafs  for  a  Blaf- 
phemer now,  and  foon  after  to  be  pronounced  worthy  of 
Death  for  Blafphcmy  ;  and  yet  never  clear  up  the  Mat- 
ter ;  but  leave  his  Difciples  after  him,  to  follow  hisKxani- 
ple,  and  call  hin»  '*  God,  the  true  God,  God  bicifcd  for 
**  ever,by  whom  and  for  whom  all  Things  were  created,'* 
when  he  was  as  really  a  mere  Creature  as  you  aad  I,  i# 
v/hat  caa  never  be  accounted  fwr. 


54  37v  'Dlvlmty  of  Chrljl, 

*     •* . 

M'here  he  was,  and  be  gone. However,the  Mat- 
ter did  not  end  here.  For  when  they  arraigned  Him 
before  the  High-Prlert,  they  renew  the  Charge  of 
JJlafphcrny,  and  pronounce  him  worthy  of  Death, 
(^/^/.  XXVI.  63— 66.)  Nor  did  Pilate  know  how 
to  exprefs  the  Crime, for  which  he  was  put  toDeath, 
belter  than  in  this  Title  put  on  the  Crofs,  Jesus 
OF  Nazareth  the  King  of  the  Jews.  So  that 
)iis  claiming  to  be  the  Son  of  God  and  King  of 
THE  Jews,  coft  him  his  Life. 

And  Ihall  we  crucify  Him  afreni,and  put  him  to 
open  Shame,  and  juftify  all  the  Condud  of  the 
Jews  towards  him,  by  faying,  He  was  indeed  but  a 
Man  ! — For  if  fo,  it  was  Biafphemy  indeed  to  pre- 
tend to  be  fuprcme  God.  And  we  know,  the  B!af- 
phemer  deferved  to  die,  according  to  the  Law  of 
Mofci, 

And  what  is  there  to  tempt  us  to  thii  impiou*?  and 
ingratefu!  Deed  ?  Not  anyThing  our  blelTed  Saviour 
ever  faid,  or  ever  did  :  for  he  always  fpake  and  acfled 
in  Charader. — As  Gon^  when  in  the  Form  of  God 
— As  Man,  when  in  the  Likenefs  of  Men — As  a 
^ervani^  when  in  the  P'orm  of  a  Servant — As  our 
exalted  Mediator^  now  at  the  right  Hand  of  the  Fa- 
ther ;  from  whom,  He,  as  Mediator,  has  received 
7i\\  his  Power  :  and  to  whom,  when  he  has  liniHied 
liis  Work,  he  will,  as  Mediator,  refign  his  delegated 
Authority.  Nor  can  any  Thing  he  ever  faid,  or 
any  Thing  he  ever  did,  fairly  conrtrued,  once  tempt 
us  to  doubt  his  being  by  Nature  fupreme  God,  after 
fuch  clear  Evidences  of  his  Divinity  have  been 
given  us.  Nor  can  I  think  what  fliould  induce  us 
to  doubt  his  Divinity, — unlefswe  fecretly  imagine, 
there  was  no  Need,  that  the  Creator  of  the 
Univerfe  fliould  become  incarnate  and  die  on  the 
Crofs  for  us  :  V/e  were  not  fo  bad,  nor  was  Sin  fo 
great  an  Evil,  as  to  make  fuch  an  Atonement  nced- 
-  '  fyl. 


The  'Dhhiity  of  Chrift,  "35- 

fu!. And  if  this  be  nt  the  Bottom,  let  us  honed- 

ly  fay  fo,  that  the  World  may  know  the  trueGround 
of  our  Infidelity,  and  fee  it  all  fummed  up  in  a  tew 
Words,  «'  The  whole  need  not  a  Phyfician,  but 
*'  they  that  are   fick." 

1'his  was  the  veryCafe  with  the  unbclicvingj  ews, 
and  the  chief  Reafon  of  their  rejecting  Chriffianity. 
They  had  an  high  Opinion  of  their  own  Goodnefs ; 
nor  could  they  conceive  why  they  might  not  be 
accepted  with  God  on  the  Foot  of  their  own  Righ- 
teoufnefs.  And  therefore  the  Gofpel-Way  of  Salva- 
tion, thro'  the  IVlediation  and  Death  of  the  Son  of 
God,  appeared  ncedlcfs  in  their  View,  and  was 
therefore  absolutely  incredible  in  their  Sight.  This 
they  fiumbled  at,  as  the  great  JiumhUng-Sioney  as  St, 
Paul  tells  us,  who  was  intimately  acquainted  with 
the  whole  Affair.  fi^5;n.  IX.  30— 33)  It  did  bear 
too  hard  upon  their  moral  Characlcr,  as  it  fuppoftd 
them  fo  infinitely  odious  and  Keli-deferving  in  the 
Sight  of  God,  that  nothina;  Ihort  of  the  Intcrpofition 
of  his  own  Son,  as  an  Expiatory  Sacrifice,  could 
open  a  Door   for  him,  in-  Juftice   and  Honour,   to 

pardon  and  fave  them. But  how  exceeding  un- 

rcafonable  w^as  this  their  ConduA,  as  their  own 
Law  fo  p  ainly  held  forth  the  infinite  Evil  of  S:n, 
in  threatning  eternal  Damnation  for  the  leaft  Tranf- 
grefllon  ?  {Gal.  III.  10.)  Which  mJght  cafily  have 
led  them  to  a  Senfe  of  their  Need  of  an  Atone- 
ment, of  infinite  Value,  had  their  Hearts  honefily 
lain  open  to  Convidtion.  - 

And  is  it  not  worthy  our  Obfcrvation, 'that  thofe 
rmong  pro^'cifed  Chrlllians,  who  have  denied  the 
Divinity  of  Chrift,  have  been  wont  generally  a!fo  to 
dcnv — our  natural  Depravity — the  infnite  Evil  of 
Sin— the  Eternity  of  Hell-Torm.nts— theNecelFity 
of  any  proper  Satisfaftion  for  Sin— the  Do^ffrinc  of 
Juililkition  by  Faith  alone  ?— And  perhaps,  to  be  a 
'^  ^  D  Z  little 


^"Th  Divhuty  of  Chrip, 

liUTle  more  confident  with  themfelvcs,  they  ought 
10  deny  the  Infpiration  of  the  O//^  and  JSetv-Tefla- 
mentSy  in  which  the  Divinity  of    Chrift,    and  thefc 

ether  Dodlrines,  are  fet  in  fo  flrong  a  Light. 

And  indeed  Dcifm  has  been  for  fome  Time  growing 
to  be  the  moft  faHiionable  Scheme  among  the  po- 
lite and  genteel  Part  of  the  Nation.—^ — And  loofe 
Principles  and  loofe  Practices  are  preparing  us  apace 
tor  all  thofe  heavy  Judgments,  which  feem  to  be 
coming  on  our  Nation  and  Land.  X  (Judg.  IL  ii  — 
2S^  Jer.  XVIII.9,  loj 

3.  If  Jefus  Clirift  be  in  very  Deed  tlie  God  that 
created  the  Univerfe,  we  may  be  alTured,  FJe  is  in 
tvery  Refped  fit  and  fufficient  for  tlie  whoJe  Work 
lie  undertook ;  nor  wilJ  he,  nor  can  he,  fail  to  ac- 
complilh  the  whole  Defign  he  had  in  view.  He 
"^•as  originally  unobliged  to  do  a  Creature's  Duty, 
>  eing  by  Nature  God  ;  and  fo  at  Liberty  to  under* 
take,  and  had  where- wath-all  to  pay  our  Debt,  infi- 
;^ite  as  it  was  :  whereas,  the  whole  Creation  had  not 
:-'  Farthing  to  fpare  for  us, owing  all  they  had  done, or 
could  do,  to  God,on  their  ownAccount. — \x  was  ho- 
Jiourable  to  God, to  appoint  fiich  aSurety  for  us  ;  he 
'was  one,  God  might  honorably  truH:  and  deal  with, as 
he  was  equal  with  God,  and  Fellow  to  the  Lord  of 
JHoJfs.  [Zech.XlM.  7.)— He  was  worthy  theRegard  of 
the  infiniteMajefly,nble  to  fecure  the  Honour  of  his 
LaWjeftablifh  his  Authority, and  anf^ver  all  theEnds  of 
Government.  He  was  fit  to  be  admitted,  as  Me- 
diator, into   his  PrefencC'Chamber  i  to  be  exalted 

to 
J  Salmon,  fpeaking  of  the  prefent  Sta*-  of  Religion  in 
England,  fays,  *'  Vice  and  Profanenefs  nign  triumphant  5 
**  the  facred  Truths  of  Chriihaniry  are  qatfho.ieii  and 
<'  dilputed  ;  and  a  Man  that  is  not  an  InfiJcI,  is  fc^arcc 
•*  allowed  to  have  common  Sci.le,  among  thofe  that 
*'  Jgok  cpon  theiifclves  to  he  the  polite  World." 

Salmon's  Geo^.  ^Hijh  Cram.  Pa^.  245. 


The  TOtvimty  of  Chr'ifl.  ^f 

tor  fit  at  his  right  Hand,— a  very  unmeet  Place  for  a 
mere  Creature  ;  and  to  be  wor(hipped  by  all  the 
heavenly  HoAs,  in  his  Father's  Prel'ence  ;  the  very 
Thought  of  which,  I  am  pcrf^vaded,  no  mere  Crea- 
ture in  that  World  could  poffibly  endure,  but  ra- 
ther with  \\\tAngcl\\\Rev.  XXII.  9.  would  fay,  See 
thou  do  It  not  ;  for  1  am  but  a  mereCreature  ;  worjhip 

God.   {Luk.  IV.  18.) And  fit  to  fit  at  thcHead  of 

theUniverfe,to  be  madeHcad  over  ail  Thing;s,  to  go- 
vern the  World  and  the  Church  ;  a  Place  too  high 
for  a  mere  Creature,  a  Trull  too  great  to  be  repofed 
in  one  by  Nature  mutable,  fallible,  Ihort-fighted  ; 
and  meet  only  for  Immutability Jnfallibility,andOm- 

nifcience. And  fit  finally  to  judge    the  World, 

and  as  the  great  Arbitrator  between  God  and  his 
rebellious  Creatures,  to  fee  Right  done,  and  caufe 
Juilice  to  takcPlace  :  an  Honour  too  great  for  a  mere 
Creature,  and  a  Work  too  d.fncult  for  any  but  the 
Omnifcient,  who  "  only  knows  the  Hearts  of  all 
'^  the  Children  of  Men." — ]3ut  Immakltel  is  fit 
tor  all  this,  wortliy  the  Hcjnour,.  and  qualified  for 
the  Work  j  and  may  be  tlius  employed,  thus  ex- 
alted, thus  worfhippcd, — not  inconhnent  with,  but 

to  ike  Glory  of  God  the  Father. Nor  can  we  doubt 

but  that  he  is  able  to  fave  to  the  uttcrmoft  all  that 
cyme  to  God  by  him,  nor  fear  but  tijat  he  will  ac- 
compiilh  all  his  Defigns  of  Grace.  ^'  Flow  Leau- 
*'  tirul  upon  the  Mountains  are  thcFtetof  him 
**  that  bnngeih  good  Tidings,  kt.  that  faith  unto 
*^  2ion,  Tfiy  God  reigneth  1"  IfaiA.M  '•.  ap- 
plied to  Chrifi.  Rom.  X.  15.  .  /  r 
4.  But  if  indeed  He  was  the  God  Ui\i  created 
the  Univerfe  ;  Oh,  how  awful  and  lolen^n  thel^.o't ! 
If  indeed  He  was  th-  God  that  created  ihcUniverfe, 
who  hupg  incarnate  oi;  the  C  rofs,  '^  kt  forth  to  be 
*^  aPropliatioa  fjrS.n,  th.K  Godm;ght  he  iuit  •" 
Wlut  Ihuii  we  fay  !  What  Ihall  wc  thirk  »   "* 

i^  4  LJ;T 


3  3  The  T>mmty  of  Chrijl. 

Let  us  look  up,  and  behold  him—furrounded  Byr 
Thoulands  of  Speaators,  infulting—  "  If  he  be 
"  the  King  of  Israel"  [indeed  he  was,  but  they 
knew  it  not  ;  for  had  they  known  it,  they  would 
not  have  crucified  the  Lord  of  Glory]  If  he 
*'  be  the  King  of,  Israel,  they  fay,  kt  him  come 
*«  down  from  the  Crofs,  and  we  will  believe  Him." 
— They  infult  j — He  prays,  "  Father,  forgivet  hem, 
*'  they  know  not  what  they  do."  And  with  all  his 
Divinity  concealed,  as  one  forfaken  of  Heaven,  and 
caft  out  from  the  Earth,  there  he  hangs,  and  bleeds, 
and  dies  ! 

For  as  ourRebellion,  with  all  its  Circumftanccs, 
Jiad  been  public,  as  it  were  in  the  Frefence  of  the 
whole  int'^'liocnt   Syftcm  ;  fo   now  the  Satisfa(5lion 
muft   be  as  publickly  made. Satan,  God's  Ene- 
my, and   our  inveterate  Foe,    had  feduced  our  fiift 
Parents,  and   in   them   virtually  the  whole  human 
R.-'ce.to  trr.nfgrefs  the  divineLaw,and  cart  ofFthe  di- 
ne Authorit}',  and  join  with  him. — And  here  on 
':rth  Satan  had  feu  up  his  Kingdom,  in  the  Sight 
Htaven,  and  in  Defiance  of  the  Most  High. — 
;id  exulting  in  a'l  his  Mifchief,  he  was  ready  im- 
)Ully  to  fay,  "  In  Spite  of  God,  and  his  Son,  the 
*'  Day  is  my  own.     For  if  God  pardons  an  apo- 
«'  flate  World,  doorned  toDeath,then  will  it  appear, 
*'  that    he   has   no  Regard  to  his    Law,    or  to  his 
■   llireatning,     or   to    impartial  Juftice  ;    which, 
when  I  was  driven  out  of  Heavtn,  he  pretended, 
^''  was  the  Motive.     Nor  can   it    fail    to  be  Matter 
^'  of  eternal  Triumph  to  us,  to  fee  the  Honour  of 
*'•  his  Law  and  Government    and  Authority   given 

**  up,   tofave  hi;  Creature,  Man. Or  if  he  re- 

'•  figns  the  whole  human  Race  to  De(\ru(5^ion,  as 
"  he  certainly  'vill,  if  he  deals  by  them  as  he  did 
^^  by  us,  it  will  be  Matter  of  etcrrnal  Conlolation 
^'  and  Joy,  to  fee,    we  can  ruin  Worldsj  as  fai^  as 

<*  he 


The  T>lvhi!ty  of  ChnJI,  ^^ 

««  he  can  make  them.     That,  let_  him  take    what 
"  Courle  he  will,  we  are   fare  of  an  eternal  Tri- 

"  umph." So   flood  the  Cafe. And  all   the 

Inhabitants  of  Heaven  looked  on,  no  doubt,  to  fee 
the    Event. 

"  The  Honour  of  the  divIne.Government,"  faid 
the  ETERNAL  SoN,  *  "  muft  and  ihall  be  fecured. 

The 


•  I  call  Him,  the  eternal  Son,  becaufe  he  was  not  only 
*'  made  of  the  Seed  of  David,  according  to  the  Flefh  ;" 
but  alfo  '*  declared  to  be  the  Son  of  God  with  Power, 
*'  according  to  the  Spirit  of  Hoiinefs,"  i.  e.  as  to  his  di- 
vine Nature,  *'  by  thcRcfjrredion  from  thcDead."  Rom. 
I.  3,  4.  Agreable  to  thofe  Words  in  Mic.  V.  2.  "  Thou 
•<  Bethlehem  Ephratah,  though  thou  be  little  among  the 
«'  Thoufmds  of  Judah,  yet  out  of  Thcc  {ball  he  come 
**  forth"  (i.  e.  be  born)  *'  that  is  to  beRuler  in  Ifracl  ; 
♦«  ^hofe  GOf  ^i<3s  fciith  ^±z  fime  Word  in  the  Origi- 
nal, before  tranflatcd  come  forth)  *'  have  been  of  old,  even 
**  FROM  Everlasting."  i.  e.  W^s  he  was  the  Son  of 
David  accorjiijg  to  the  Flefh,  in  7  ime  ;  fo  from  eternal 
Jge!  he  was  the  Son  of  God,  as  to  his  divine  Nature. 
Therefore  called,  by  Way  of  Eminence,  God's  oiun  Son^ 
and  his  only  begotton  Son.  Joh.  III.  16.  Rom.  VIII.  32. 

Qneft.  I.  How  then  is  Chrift  "  the  firft-born  of  every 
Creature  "?  or   as  it  ought  rather  to  be  rendered,   *'  the 

firlt-born  of  the  whole  Creation."  Col.  I.  15. 1  an- 

fwer,  I.  Not  as  to  his  humanNature  ;  for  that  was  born 
not  two  Thoufand  Years  ago.  2.  Nor  as  to  his  divine 
Nature  ;  for  that,  iniiead  of  being  the  firil-born  of  every 
Creature,  was  the  Creator  of  tlie  whole  Univeife,  3.  Rut 
with  Refpea  to  t/?e  Privileges  of  the  Birth- Ri'^ht,  (Pfal. 
LXXXIX.  27.)he  being  appointed  "  Heir  of  allThi'^gs." 
Hcb.  I,  2-  In  which  Ifaac  was  a  Type  of  him.    See  Gen. 

XXV.  5. All  Things  were   created  by  him  and  for. 

him,  originally  ;  and  now,  as  Mediator,  he  is  put  into 
^'■jlfcilion  of  all  Things,  as  the  great  Heir  of  the  '-jchole 

Univirfe^ 


4»  The  'Dlvhihy  of  Chnji. 

The  Law  is  holy,  juft  and  good  ;  and  mufl:  and 
fiiall  be  magnified  and  made  Ironourable.  Sin  is 
as  great  an  L  vil  a-s  my  Father's  Law  Ipeaks  it  j 
and  muf\  and  Ihall  be  confidered  and,  treated  as 
fuch  ;  and  ihat  in.the  Sight  ot  the  whole  Syftem. 
For  my  Father's  Authority    muft  and    lliall    be 

publickly  maintained. And  vet  Satan  may  be 

difappointed  of  his  expeded  Triumph  :  For  the 
human  Race  need  not  be  lefigned  to  Ruin  ;  for 
]a>.  I  am  willing  to  become  incarnate,   and  die  in 
tlieir  Room. — Behold,  here  \  am  !  Pfal.  XL.  7. 
"  Thou  art  my  beloved   Son,,  in   whom   !•  am 
well-pleafed  ;.  thouloveftRigliteoufnefs  and  hateft 
Iniquity,   and    art  my    expp.es^  Image/'  bid 
the  eternal  Father  ;  '*  and    even    as   thou  haft   faid, 
fo  (ha^l  It  be.     The  Seed  2/  the  Woman  jliull  bruife 
the  Serpent^s  Head.  Gen.  III.   1-5.  Thy  dying  Love 
(liall   dci'eat  the  Dcfig^^s  of  his  infernal  Malice." 
Wherefgre  fee  hiin  now  on  the  Crofs,  "  fet 
forth  to  be  a  Propiiiation  for  Sin,  to  declaie  the 
Rightcoufnefs  of  God,    that  God  might  be  juil, 
and  yet  juftify  the  Sinner  that  believes  in  Jeius." 
[  Rm,  ill.  25, 16.    And    there   he  fpoih  Prlndpalitiet 
•  4ind  PinvcrSy  faps  tlie  Foundation   of  Satan's    King- 
dom, aad  even  triumphs  over  him  on  the  Crofs,  Col.  11, 
15.  And  all  in  Sight,  as   it  were,  of  the  whole  in- 
telligent Creation.  I  Pet  L  II.  And  fuited  to  girc 
;  uoi v^ial  ljiAru<5Uon.  £ph,  ill,  lo. 

Look 

Univerfe.     And  hanng  thus  tlic  Eirth-Right,  he  is  with 
Propriety  called,  tkefirji-born  cf  the  ivbole  Creation. 
Qwcft.   2.   How  is  Chrift  the  **  Beginning   of  the  Creation 

"  of  God"  ?  Rev.  III.   14. 1  anfwer,  The  Word  in 

the  Original  figniiies,  The  Beginning y  the  Chief,  Princi' 
patity.  Dominion.  And  the  Meaning  is,  that  Chrilt,  at 
Mediator,  is  the  Head  and  Ruler  of  the  Uoiverfc,  sukI 
the  great  Chiif  of  the  CrsatiQn  o/Cod.  £ph.  I.  ai. 


The  'Divtmty  of-Chrrft.  J{\ 

Look  up,  and  ftand  al^onifhed  at  thi^  greateft  of 
all  God's  Works.  The  Creator  of  the  ITniverfe 
on  the  Crofs  !  djing  as  a.prop.iiatory  Sacritice  for 
Sin  !  offering  up  Himfelf  to  hfs  Father^  as  a  Sacri- 
fice of  AtoAement  for  the  Sins  ot  the  World:'— 
That  by  Faith  m  his  Blood  we  might  be  j unified 
>and  faved. 

And  was  there  indeed  fuch  infinite  Goodnefs  in 
the  divine  Nature,  that  God  could  -fitid  it  in  his 
Htarr  to  do  thisThing!  aThing,of  aNature  fuperior, 
infinitely  fuperior  to  the  Creation  of  Thoufands  and 
Millions  otTucli Worlds  as  this  !  And  wasSin  indeed 
iuch  rn  in^nite  Evil,  that  nothing  could  expiate  it,, 
but  fuch  a  Sacrifice  as  this  !  Sin,  which  we,  rtupid 
Mortals, fee  folittleEvil  in  I  And  did  X\\t  eUrnalFather 
Talue  the  Honour  of  his  Law  arwi  Government  more 
than  the  Life  of  his  Hon  !  And  if  thefe  Tilings  were 
done  in  the  green  Tree,  what  will  be  done  in  the 
dry  !  Where  will  the  unrighteous  an<l  ungodly  ap- 
pear, when  fhis  Jefus  comes  in  flaming  Fire  to  take 
v^'cngeance  on  them  that  Tcnow  not  God,  and  obey 
not  the  Gofpel  !  How  vain  will  it  be  to  cry  for 
Mercy  !  how  vain  to  hope  that  impartial  Jufticc 
will  relent  !  The  Son  of  God  prayed,  "  O  mv 
*'  Father,  if  it  be  polfible,  let  this  Cup  pafs  from 
**  me  ;"  and  even  agonized  in  Blood  !— But  it  was 
not  pofTible.:  Juf^ice  muft  be  fatisfied  :  the  Son  of 
<jod  himfelf  muft  die  :  therefore  impenitent,  Chrift- 
jcfs  Sinners  cannot  cfcape  :  nor  can  they  ever  be 
releafed  :  But  **  the  Smoke  ot  thv^ir  Torment  will 
•'  afcend  for  ev^err  and  ever." 

That  God  is  in  Ear-neft,  when  he  threatens  to 
puni(h  im|)e4rrte«t  SifMer^  with  eternal  Damnation, 
■cannot  be  made  Pierre  evident,lhan  it  is  by  theCrofs 
of  Chrift.  However,  it  may  be  moix;  attended  to, 
and  fo  work  a  more  univerfal  Covi6tion.  Yet  their 
eternal  Damn«uon,  i(  fek,   will  r>ot  be  a  greater 


4^  The  T>hinUy  of  ChnJ}, 

Proof,  that  God  was  in  eamefl,  than  the  Death  of 
his  Son  on  theCrofs. — The  whole  intelligent  Syftem 
have  here  the  ftrongefl:  Evidence  of  the  impartial 
Rectitude  of  the  divine  Nature,  and  of  the  Inflexi- 
bility of  the  divine  Jullice,  that  can  polhbly  be 
given.  And  at  the  fame  Tune, the  boundlefs  Good- 
nefs  of  the  divine  Nature    fet  in  the  ckareft  Point 

of  Light. Wherefore,  to  conclude,   let   us  here 

behoM  the  "  Glory  of  God  in  the  Face  of  Jefus 
«<  Chrift  ;"  that  beholding  "  in  this  Glafs,theG!ory 
"  of  the  Lord,  we  may  be  changed  into  t.he  fame 
»'  Image,  from  Glory  to  Glory.  That  fo  the  Gof- 
■^^  pel  may  become  tlie  Power  of  God  toourSalva- 
*'  tion.  That  while  Chrift  crucified  is  to  fome  a 
*'  ftumbling-Block,  and  to  others  Fooliflmcfs,  He 
<^'  may  be  to  us  the  Power  of  God,  and  theWifdom 
*'  of  God. 

,     Now  to  him  "  who  loved  us  and  gave  himfelf 
'<  **  for  us,  be  Glory,  Honour  and  Praife  for  ever  and 

<'  ever."  Amen. Even 

To  Him,  who  is  "  the  Alpha  and  the   Omega, 

^^  the  Almighty,  the  fame  Yefterday,  to  Day,   and 

«'  forever,  who  is  God,  the  true  God,  the   mighty 

3ou,  the  holy  one  of  Ifrael,  fitting  on  a  Throne 

high  and  lifted  up,   God  over  all  blefled  for  ever, 

^'  by  whom  and  for  whom  all  Things  were  created" 

—  even  toHiM  let  *'  every  Knee  bow  in  Heaven  and 

;  "  onEarth:"— and  it  will  be  fo  far  from  derogating 

or  detra6ting  from  theMonour,  that  it  will  be  "   to 

*'  tl  eGlory  of  God  the  Father."  For,  '*  he  aad  his 

"  Father  are  One." — Yea,  "  there  are  Three  that 

^'  bear  Record  in  Heaven,  the  Father,    the   Word, 

"  and  the  Holy  Ghoft  :  and  thefe  three  are  One." 

And  to  ffiis  One  God  in  three   Perfons,  to  whom 

we  were  dedicated  in  Baptifm,   and  from  whom  ail 

BJeffings  flow  to  us,  even  to  Him,  b^  afcribed  "  the 

Kingdom,  Power,  and  Glory  for  ever."  A; 


The  Millennium. 


Revelation,  XX.  i,  2,  3. 

y4nd  I  fazv  a?i  jingel  come  down  from  Heavett^p. 
having  the  Key  fl^  the  bottomlefs  Pit,  and  d 
great  Chain  in  ms  Ha'ui  ^nd  he  laid  hold 
on  the  Dragon,  that  old  Serpent ^  zuhich  is  the 
*J)evil  and  Satan,  and  hound  him  a  Thoufanil 
T^ears.  And  cajl  him  into  the  bottomlefs  Pit^ 
and  fJjift  him  up,  and  fit  a  Sea!  upon  him,  that 
he  foul d  deceive  the  Nations  no  more,  till  ths 
Thoufand  Tears  fJjc aid  he  fulfilled, 

^^t-###N  a  great  Variety  of  Refpeas,  the 
^?^#-^-^i^  Bible  is  the  mof^  remarkable  Boak  in 
-^  \  I  !>  X^  tlie  World.  In  it  we  have  God's  mo,- 
*^^-^#-^^"1^  ral  Chara(5ler  clearly  exhibited  toView, 
#«^^-^^  by  a  Hiilory  of  his  Gondu6t,  as  moral 
Governor  of  the  World  from  the  beginning; :  and 
the  Nature  of  fallen  Man  painted  to  the  Li^,  by  si 
Pliiiory  of  their  Behaviour  for  four  Thoufand  Years. 
In  it  we  liavc  opened  the  glorious  and  altoni(h-ing 
Method,  that  has  been  entered  upori,  to  difappoint 
all  Satan's  Dcfigns,  by  the  Interpofition  of  the  Soa 
of  (tod  ;  and  are  informed  of  his  Birth, Life,  Death, 
Refurredion,  Afcenfion  and  Exaltation,  and  of  the 
ious  Defigns  he  has  in  View.  And  the  wh.ole 
cnnfrivcd  as  to  be  admirably  fuited  to  all  the 
lances  and  Needs  of  a  good  Man  \  That, 


44  The  Milkiimum, 

as  it  was  defigned  to  be  the  good  Man's  Book,  in  a 
peculiar  Senfe,  fo  it  is  pcrfec5lly  fuited  to  his  Cafe. 
*'  It  is  profitable  for  Do(ftrine,  for  Reproof,  for  Cor- 
'Srecftion,  for  Inftruchlion  in  Righteoulhefs,  that  the 
«*  Man  or  God  mav  be  pcrfe(5l,  thoroughly  furnilh- 
«  ed  to  all  good  Works/'  {iTimAW.  16,  17.) 

That  linrere  Concern  for  the  Caufe  of  Truth 
and  Virtue,  for  the  Honour  of  God  and  Intereft  of 
true  Religion,  which  is  peculiar  to  a  good  Man, 
whofe  Chara<5tcr  it  is  to  love  Chrift  above  Father 
and  Mother,  Wife  andChildrM^,  Houfes  and  Lands, 
yea,  better  than  his  own  Life,  muft  naturally  fub- 
jcct  him  to  a  peculiar  Kind  of  SoHcitude.  Even  as 
a  Child.of  a  truly  filial  Splrlt,is  pained  when  it  goes 
ill  with  his  Father's  Family,  to  whofe  Intereft  he  is 
Clofely  attached  ;  and  has  a  whole  Syftem  of  inward 
£enfations,that  a  Stranger  intermeddles  not  with. — 
The  BiELE,  the  good'  Man's  Book,  is,  therefore, 
Xvifely  adapted  to  eafe  the  good  Man's  pained  Heart, 
•and  afford  Confolation  in  this  interefting  and  moft 
important  Point ;  as  it  gives  the  ftrongeft  AITuran- 
ces  tliat  the  Caufe  of  Vertue  fliall  finally  prevail. 

How  infupportable  muft  the  Grief  of  the  pious 
Tews  have  been,  fitting  on  the  Sides  of  theRivers  of 
Sabylon  1  *'  There  we  fat  down,"  fay  they,  "  yea, 
'*  we  wept  when  we  remembred  Zion."  And  "  on 
**  theWillows  they  hung  theirHarps,"  nor  could  any 
Thing  divert  their  Minds.  "  U  1  forget  thee,  O 
*'  Jerufalem,  let  my  rightHand  forget  her  Cunning. 
*'  If  I  do  not  remember  th>fe,let  nivl^ongue  cleave 
*'  to  the  Roof  of  my  Mouth."  (Pfal.CXXXVW.) 
—How  infuppcrtable,  I  fay,  muft  their  Grief  have 
been,  while  their  glorious  holy  Temple,  and  their 
holy  Citv,  the  Place  of  all  their  facred  Solemnities, 
were  lying  deiolate,  and  God's  People  in  Captivity, 
had  it  not  beeli  for  thatPromife,  fo  often  repeated, 
!fX\^x.  after  feventy  Years  God  would  viftt  them,  and 


The  M'dlenmum.  y^jT 

caufethein  to  return  to  tjieir  own  Land.  God  knew 
before- hand  the  Anguiih,  which  would  be  apt  to  fill 
their  Hearts,  the  finking  Difcouragcments,  and  ali 
the  Train  of  dark  and  gloomy  Thoughts,  they 
would  be  incident  to  ;  and  before-hand  provided  a 
Remedy.  Yea,  no  fooner  had  he  denounced  their 
Doom  in  the  XXXIXth  Chapter  of  Ifaiah^  but  im- 
mediately in  the  next  Chapter,and  for  ten  or  twenty 
Chapters  together,  does  he  provide  for  their  Support. 
"  Comfort  ye,  comfort  ye, my  People;  fpeak  com- 
•'  fortably  to  Jerufalem,  &c.  kc. 

So,  how  infupportable  would  have  been  the 
Grief  of  the  Church  of  Chrifl:,  thro*  the  long,  dark, 
cruel  Reign  of  myftical  Babylon,  while  they  beheld 
Error  and  "VVickednefs  univerfally  prevail,  Satan 
getting  his  ^Vill  in  almofl  every  Thing,  and  to  Ap- 
p:arance  no  Signs  of  better  Times,  but  all  Things 
wearing  a  dreadful  Afpect  before  tliclr  Eyes  j  how 
great  the^  Gri.f  j  how  finking  tlieir  Difcouragc- 
ments, how  almoil  infuperable  their  Temptations 
to  apoflatire,and  forfake  aCaufc  thatHeaven  feemed 
to  forfake,  had  not  the  Day  of  Deliverance  been  ex- 
prelly  foretold,  and  the  Glory  tliat  fhould  follow 
opened  to  View,  by  the  Spirit  of  Prophecy  !  Bu^^n 
a  firm  Belief  that  the  Caufe  they  were  engaged  in, 
and  for  which  they  fpilt  their  Blood,  would  finally 
prevail  ;  and  prevail  in  this  World,  where  they 
then  beheld  Satan  reigning  and  triumphing,  .1  fay, 
in  a  firm  Belief  of  th;s,  the  whole  Army  o*^  Martyrs 
could  mu'ch  on  to  Battle  couragioully,  willing  to 
facrifice  their  Lives  in  the  Caufe,  not  doubting  of 
final  Vicftory,  aliho'  they  themfelves  muft  fall  in 
the  Field. 

Jn'deed,  were  the  Salvation  of  his  own  Soul  the 
only  Thing  the  good  Man  had  in  View,  he  would 
naturally  be  quite  eafy  upon  a  full .  Afllirance  th^t 
this  was  fecured.     So,  hadMofes  cared  for  nothing 

E  2  •»         -        ^^^ 


j^6  The  MUlennium, 

but  the  Welfare  of  himfelf  and  of  his  Pofterity,  he 
liiight  have  been  fatisficcJ, while  the  whole  Congre- 
gation of  Ifrael  were  dcftroyed,  if  he  might  become 
a  great  Nation,  and  that  without  any  Sollicitude  tor 
ilie  flonour  of  the  Great  Name  of  the  God  of 
Ifraei  :  Yea,  ahlio'  the  Idolatrous  Nations  round 
•about  were  fully  eHabliflied  in  the  Delief  of  the 
Divinity  of  their  Idols,  and  brought  to  look  upon 
ilie  God  of  the  Hebrews  with  ever  fo  great  Con- 
tempt by  the  Means.  But,  attuc'ied  as  he  was 
to  the  Honour  of  the  God  of  Ifrael,  nothing  could 
give  him  Satisfadion,  but  aProfpecSl  that  that  would 
hefcq^rtd.  The  Welfare  of  himfelf  and  of  his 
f'amily  w  as  of  no  Importance  in  his  Eftecm,  com- 
pared with  this.  {"^tQ  Excel  XXXII.) 

It  niuft,  therefore,  be  rem»-mbred,  that,  as  the 
Son  of  God  left  hisFather's  liofcm,  and  the  Realms 
tjf  Light  and  Glory,  and  expired  on  the  Crofs  in 
llie  utmoft  vifible  Contempt,  that  he  might  fpoil 
]Vincipalitit!s  and  Powers,  bruife  the  Serpent'sHead, 
(ieltroy  the  Works  6f4he  Devil  ;  fo  his  true-DifcI- 
ples  iiave  imbibed  a  Meafure  of  the  fame  Spirit  ; 
i'nd,  as  Voluntiers  enlidcd  under  his  Banner,  have 
the  fame  Thing  in  View  :  they  long  for  thcDeliruc- 
tion  of  Satan's  K.ngdcm  :  and  thefe  Petitions  are. 
the  genuine  Language  of  their  Hearts,  *'  Our 
*'  Father  which  art  in  Heaven,  hallowed  be  thy 
**  Name,  thy  Kingdom  come,  thy  Will  be  done  oU 
*<^  Earth  as  it  is  in  Heaven."  Nor  can  the  Salvation 
of  their  own  Souls,  altho'  ever  fo  fafcly^  fecured, 
fatisfy  their  Minds,  without  a  clear  View  and  fair 
Profpedt  of  Chrift's  final  Vicflory  over  all  his  Ene- 
mies. "  But  if  our  great  General,  wi»o  has 
*'  facrificed  his  Life  in  the  Caule,  may  but  at  Knft 
*'  obtain  a  complcat  V^idory,  notwithflanding  all 
*'  the  prefcnt  darkAppearances  ;  This  i::  "•"^^' '  '  " 
fays  tiicCiifiiuaii  Soldier  ;  "  I  am.  will:  i 


The  Millemuunj.  47     ^ 

««  all  In  his  Service,  and  die  in  the  Battle  too. 
"  But  if  Satan  were  always  to  carry  the  Day,  Oil 
"  who  could  live  under  the  Thought  1" 

This  having  been  the  Temper  of  good  Men,  * 
more  or  leiSjCven  from  the  early  Ages  of  the  World, 
and  thro'  all  fuccelfive  Generations  to  this  Day, 
they  have  evidently  wanted  a  peculiar  Support, 
which  the  Refl:  ot  Mankind  flood  in  no  Need  of,  to^ 
carry  them  comfortably  thro'  fuch  a  long  Scene  of' 
Darknefs;  Wichednefs  prevailing, God  dilhonourcd,. 
Satan  triumphing:,  the  World  perilhing,-. 'the  true 
Church  of  God  more  generally  in  Sackcloth.  And 
according'y  the  final  Victory  of  the  Caufe  of  Truth 
and  Virtue  was  intimated  in  the  very  firft  P^omife 
made  to  fallen  Man.  And  from  Time  to  Time  God 
repeated  this  comfortable  Prediction  to  his  Church 
and  People  ;  and  finally  made  it  the  chiet  Suhjecl 
of  the  lait  Cook  of  ho'y  Scripture,  he  ordered  to  be: 
wrote  for  the  Ufe  of  his  Church. 

Now  !et  us  take  a  brief  View  of  the  whole  Series 
of  thcfe  divine  Frcdidions,  from  the  Beginning  of 
the  World,  even  down  to  this  in  ourText,  contain- 
ed in  one  of  the  lad  Cl-apters  in  the  Bible  ;  tli^it  wc 
may  fee  what  fu'l  Evidence  there  is  of  this  Truth  ; 
and  fo,  what  abundant  Caufe  for  Confolation  to  all 
the  People  of  God. 

I.  Immediately  after  the  Fall,  when  the  Ser- 
pent, ever>   that  old   Serpent   the   Devil,  had  jufk 
fed. iced  Mankind  to  revolt  from  God,  and  had,  to      , 
a!!  Appearance,  lasd   this  whole  World  in  perpetual     j 
Rijiii,  even  in  the  Depths  of  tliis  Midnight-Dar'iC*     ' 
ncfs,  a  Ray  of  Light  (hone   down   from  Heaven — 
Toe  Seed  of  the  JV:man  fnall  hriufe   the  Serpent's  Hrivh 
[Gen.  111.  15,;  As  if  Gjd   had    faid,    "^  1  fee  the 
''  Scheme  that  Satan  has  laid  to  ruin  theWorld,and 
*'  ertablilh  his  impiou-,    maliciius  Caufe  :  1  fee  it, 
"  iiid  r  ^m. determined  to  defeat  it.    The  fceble£ 


4Sf  The  MiUemuiim. 

*'  Woman  he  has  over- matched,  but  her  almighty 
"^^  Seed  Ihall  conquer  him, and  as  effectually  fubdue 
''  him,  and  prevent  all  future  Mifchief  by  }um, 
'*  asa  Serpent  is  fubdued  and  incapacitated  for 
"'  furtherMifchief,  when  his  Head  is  cruflicd  to  Pit- 
*'  CCS,  under  the  indignant  Heel  of  one  determined 
*'  on  his  Death."  This  was  a  compleat  Doom  in- 
('ecd  denounced  againlt  Satan,  at  the  Head  of  the 

kingdom  of  Darknels.     And  it  fully  implied,  that 

heCaufe  of  Light,  Truth  and  RIghteoufnefs  fhould 

.  nally  obtain  a.corripleat  Yi^ory. 

ir.  After  this  gracious  and  glorlou^Promife  had 
'^  een-the  chief  Found  ation'^of  all  the  Hopes  of  God's 

V^ople  for  twoThoufand  Years,  God  was  pleafcd  to 
point  *put  the  particular  Family  from  whence  tliis 
mighty  Deliverer  fliould  fpring,  and  to  intimate 
•vhat  a  univerfal   Bluffing   he  fhould  be  to  all   tlie 

. -Nations  of  the  Earth.  Jfid  in  thy  SEEDjJjall  All  the 
Farfiilus  of  the  Earth  behJif.d^  faid  God  to  Abrnham. 
[Gen.  XII,  3.)  Which  again  plainly  fnppofcd,  that 

he  Caufe  of  Truth  and  Pvighteoufnefs,   nolwiUi- 

'andingthe  dark  State  the  VVorld  .then  was  in,  all 
.Inking  fafl  into  Idolatry,  and  would  for  many  Ag<-s 
ijC  in,  buried  in  heathenifn  Darknefs,  fliould  yet  ia 
<!ue  Time  univirfally  prevail  over  the  wliole  Farth. 
For  in  thy  Seed  Jhali  all  the  Families  of  the  Earth  he 
i'i^ffd.     This  fame  Pyomife  w  as  repeated  again  and 

*nd  again  to  Abraham,  and  afterwards  to  Ifaac  and 
io  Jacob. 

HI.  HiTH^To  Gcd  had  fupportcd  his  People's 
Hopes  chiefly  witliPronnfes, with  v^ibalPredicu'  ns ; 
hut  from  tlie  F/ays  cf  Mofcs  to  the  Davs  of  Solo- 
mon Kina^'of  Ifia^^l,  10  ^ifiA  liisPeon't's  Faith,' God 
die',  bff.dcs  rtpca^cd  Pi'cmif(.s  o's  the  fr;n'.c  Tljin^-^. 
by  a  grcatVar:ety  of  wonderful  Work;:  (1- 
the  g'oricus  Day  :  Ano  at  the  f^oie  Time  /...- 
he  l^ad  fufficknt  Wifdom  and  Power  to ^cc'ui 


Tlie  '  Millcfimum.  ^^ 

the  greatert:  Defigns.     That  bis  People  miojht  be 
convinced,  that  h'^  could  eafi.'y  bring  to  pafs,  ror  the  ^ 
Good  ot  his  Church,  whatfocvcr   feemed  Good  ia    "3 
his  SiglU. 

Israel  in  the  Egyptian  Bondage  were  a  defigncd 
Tvpe  of  a  fallen  World  under  the  Dominion  and 
Tyranny  of  Satan.  Nor  was  PharoalrKiore  loth  to 
let  Iiracl  go,  than  Satan  is  to  have  his  Subjects  dc^ 
ierr  him,  and  his  Kingdom  go  to  Ruin.  But  not- 
withflanding  all  the  fceming  Impoffibilities  in  the 
\Vay  of  Ifracl's  Deliverance,  infinite  Wifdom  knevv' 
how  to  accomplifh  the  divine  Defigns.  God  could 
even  caufe  a  »\lember  of  Pharoah's  Family  to  edu- 
cate one  to  be  an  Jitftrnmcnt  of  this  defigncd  Doii- 
vcrancc.  And  in  due  Time,  behold,  al)  the  Armies 
of  Ifrael  march  forthYrom  the  Land  of  E-^ypt,  out 
of  the  Hou'eof  Bonda;T;e  ;  and  Ph.araoh,  and  his 
C^hariots,  and  all  liisFloli,  lie  buried  in  the  Red  Sea  \ 
So  eafily  can  God  bring  forth  his  People  even  out 
of  the  Anti-Chriftian  Kingdom,  which  is  fpiritually 
called  Sodom  and  Egypt,  And,  if  he  plcafes,  raife 
11,)  the  Inrtiuments  of  this  glorious  Work,  even  in 
the  Court  of  Rome. 

And  when  the  Name  of  the  true  God  was  rJmoft 
forgotten  thro'  ail  the  Earth,  and  the  Devil  wor- 
(bippcd  in  his  Room,  in  Idols  of  various .  Nam  - 
thro'  all  the  Nations,  God  knew  how  to'^ifinkc  his 
Name  known,  and  to  caufe  his  Fame  to  fpreacj 
abroad,  and  fill  the  whole  Earth  with  his  G!ory,  by 
Wonders  wrought  in  the  Land  of  Hjm,b\  defce^ri- 
ing  »n  \lount  Sinai,  by  }e;;d]ng  the  Arjiiics  of  Ifinel 
f  rtv  Years  in  the  Wiidernefs  in  a  Pillar  of  Cloud 
b>  DaV,  nnd  of  Fire  by  Nii,hr,  giving  rhem  Bread 
from  Heaven  and   Water  out  of  the  fiinn'  Rock, 

viding  Jordan,   dehvering  up  one  aivd  ih.rty  ido- 

''-•us  Kings  to  the   Sword  of   J'/fli-.n,    raifric   up 

y.s  one  after  another  in  a  uiiiacuious  Manner 

E  4  *to 


$0  The  Millennium. 

to  deliver  hisPeople,until  thcDays  of  David  andSoIo- 
n-ion,Types  o\  Clirift.  Of  David,  who  Melliah-liy 
fubdued  the  Enemies  of  Ifraei  all  around  :  of  Solo- 
mon, who  built  the  holy  Temple  and  filled  Jerufa- 

km  with  Riches  and  Glory. He,  who  hath  done 

all  thcfe  Things,  can  ealijy  accomplifli  all  the  De- 
figns  ot  hisJiiEart^  prtferve  his  Church,  raife  up 
Deliverance,  br^ak.  to  Pieces  the  Kmgdoms  of  jhe 
Earth  for  her  Sake,  make  Truth  vicflorious,  and  fet 
Up  the  new  Jeiufalem  in  all  her  fpiritual  Glory, 
build  up  his  Church  as  a  glorious  holy  Temple, 
and  fet  the  Son  of  David  upon  the  Throne  ;  by 
whofe  Hands,  Satan  and  all  the  Powers  of  Dark- 
nefs  rtiall  be  fubdued,  chained, -fealed  up  in  the  bot- 
tomlefs  Pit,  as  much  afraid,  ^nd  as  much  unable 
to  attempt  any  ^iifchief,  as  *he  ful)clued  Nations 
around  Ifraei  were  in  the  very  Height  of  David's 
Power. 

But  when  fhail  tl^e  Son  of  David  reign,  and  the. 
Church  have  Rert  ?  When  fhall  tlie  Caufe  of  Truth- 
and  Righteoufnefs  thus  prevail  ?  Perhaps  the  very. 
Tim»e  was  dengned  to  be  fnadowed  forth  in  theLaw 
of  Mofes,  in  the  Inllitution  of  their  holy  Days.. 
r\\Q  fcventh  Day^  faid  God,  who  always  had  this 
ijorious  Seafbn  of  Reft  in  View,  "  The  feventh 
^'  Day  (hall  be  a  Sabbath  of  Reft,  the  fevcmh 
''  Month  Ihall  be  full  of  holy  Days,  the  fevcnfh 
"  Year  Oiaii  be  a  Year  of  Reft  :"  So,  perhaps,, 
aftcry;,v7/?57V^3;.'J  Years  are  fpent  in  Labour  and  Sor- 
row by  the  Church  of  God,  the  /even  ThGufandtb 
ftiall  be  a  Seafon  uf  fpiritual  Reft  and  Joy,  an  holy 
Sabbath  to  the  Lord. — And  as  God  tlicCreator  vsas 
fix  Days  in  forming  a  confufed  C'haos  into?  beau- 
tiful World,  and  rtHed  the /eve  nib  ;  foGod  the  Pc- 
deemer,  aftery/x77;:'7«/W  YtarsLabour  in  iheWork 

of  the   new  Creation,  may  rtft    on  ^ht  fiVenth. . 

And  then  proclaim  a  general  Liberty  tg  an  ejiflaved 

World,',; 


The  Milknmunu  '^\ 

Woric?,  and  grant  a  general  Pardon  to  a  gulltyRace  ; 
as  in  the  Ytarof  Jubilee^  among  tho  Jews,  every 
enllaved  Jew  was  fet  at  Liberty,  and  the  Debts  of 
all  the  indebted  weie  cancelled. 

IV.  Tk£S2  Things,  thus  inadovved  forth  in 
Types,  \\ere  alfo  exj^relly  declared  by  the  Mouths 
of  the  ancient  Proplicts,  from  the  OTy?  of  David 
and  forward  to  the  End  of  that  Difpcnfation  ;  and 
the  fame  Things  are  hinted  here  and  there  in  the 
NeW'Tellament,  and  largely  opened  to  View  in  the 
Revelation  of  St.  John.  So  that  both  tlie  Old  and 
New  Teftaments  join  to  raife  in  us,  who  live  in 
thcfe  Ages,  the  highdl  Affjrar.ce,  that  it  is  God's 
Dciign  to  "  give  ic^Ims  Son  the  Heathen  for  his  In- 
"  lieritancc,  and  tffc- uttermoft  Parts  of  the  Earth 
"  for  his  PolTeirionr'(P/.'/.  JI.  8.)  For  all  Kings 
"  Ihall  bow  down  before  him,  and  all  Nations  (liali 
"  ferve  him.  [PfuL  LXXIl.  ii.)  And  the  Moun- 
"  tain  of  the  Lord's  Houfe  ihail  be  ellablilhed  in 
*'  the  Top  of  the  Mountains,  and  fliall  be  exahed 
*'.  above  the  Hdls,  and  all  Nations  fhall  flow  unto 
*'  it.  {IfaiAi.  1.)  They  ihall  beat  their  Swords  into 
*'  Plow-(hares, and  their  Spears  into  pruning  Hooks, 
*'  and  learn  War  no  more.  (vcr.  4.)  For  the  Earth 
"  (hall  be  full  of  the  Knowledge  of  the  Lord,  as 
*'  tiieWaters  cover  the  Sea.  {Jfui.  Xf.  9.)  A  Nation 
«  mall  be  born  in  a  Day.  p>'.  LXVI.  8.)  All  tliy 
"  People  ihall  be  righteous.  {Ifai.  LX.  2f.)  They 
*'  (hail  all  know  the  Lord,  from  the  leaft  to  the 
"  greatcft.  (J,r.  XXXL  24.)  And  Holinefs  to  tl  e 
**  Lord  (hall  be  written  on  every  Thing.  {Zsd\ 
**  XIV.  20,  2 i  )  Kings  (liall  become  nurfmy;  Fa- 
"  thers,  and  Qiieens  n'urfing  Mothers  {Ij'cii,  XIAX, 
"  23)  and  there  ihall  be  nothing  to  hurt  or  offend. 
**  (ifai.  XI.  9  ;  Th«  Inhabitant  fhall  not  [fo  mneh 
**  as]  lay,  1  am  fick.  [Jer.  XXXIII.  24.)  And  tii  8 
«  Kmi^djmlhallnllthe  whoieEarth.  [Dan,\l.-7,^.) 

'»  And 


52  The  Millennium, 

*'  And  all  Nations  and  Languages  (liall  fcrve*  him. 
^*  {Dan.  Vll.  14.)  And  the  Kinedom  and  Do- 
"  minion, and  the  Greatnefs  of  the  Kingdom  under 
"  the  whole  Heaven  rtiall  be  given  to  the  Peo}>le 
"  of  the  Saints  of  the  molt  high  God.  [Dan.  Vil. 
*'  27.)  and  tliejews  ihali  be  called  in, and  the  Ful- 
*'  nefs  of  thf^^entiles.  [Rem.  XI.  ,12-^32.^  l^orthe 
*'  Gofpel  fnall  be  preached  to  every 'Nation,  and 
*'  Kindred, and  Tongue,  andPeopKe.  (Rev.XW ,h.) 
"  And  Satan  ihali  be  bound,  and  Chrifl  fliall  reiga 
*'  onEarth  a  Tlioufand  Years."  *  And  as  furely  as 
thejews  were  deJiveved  out  of  the  babylonilhCapti- 
vity,ajKiP)aby]on'itfelf  dcftroyed  ;  even  fo  furely  (hall 
a  1  thefeThings  be  acconipliflied  in  thcirTime.  And 
myftical  Babylon  fhall ."  link  ^  a  Mill-ftone   into 

*'  the 

*  Satstn  JJ^aU  he  hotin4,  ^c.  «'  The  Church  of  Chrifl 
*'  Or  II  enjoy  Parity  of  Religion  in  Peace,  without  any 
"  Diftarbance  from  thofe  old  Enemies  of  Mankind, 
*'  working  in  the  Children  of  Difobcdience." 

Dauhuz  on  the  Place. 
**  And  this  feems  to  imply,  that  all  fiiall  be  converted — • 
••  However,  if  there  be  any  that  remain  unconverted, 
*'  they  will,  during  the  Imprifonment  of  Satan,  be  in 
*•  fo  fmail  a  Number,  and  fo  feeble  in  Comparifon  of  the 
«*  true  Chiifhans,  that  they  fliall  neither  dare,  nor  be 
**  able  to  difturb  the  Peace  of  Chrift's  Kingdom." 

Lo'wjnan  on  the  Place. 

A  Spirit  of  ftric^  Piety  fhall  rife  fo  high,  and  fo  univcrfally 
prevail,  that  it  fhall  be  as  tlio'  all  the  Martyrs  of  for- 
mer Ages  were  rifen  from  the  Dead,  and  appeared  upon 
the  Stage  ^11  at  once.  This  feems  to  be  the  Senfe  of 
thofe  Words  in  Rev.  XX.  4.  The  Martyrs  arc  faid 
to  rife  from  the  Dead,  and  reign  with  Chi  it  a  Thoufand 
Years,  much  in  the  fame  Seiifc  as  John  the  Baf^tiji  is 
called  Elius^  viz.  bccaulc  he  was  a  Man  fo  nearly  re- 
fembling  that  celebrated  Prophet.  Sec  Loivmau  on  the 
Place. 


The  M'lUenfilum.  jpj 

*«  the  Sea,   and  fhall  be   found   no  more  at  all." 
{Rev.XWm.  2i:) 

V.  But  when  ihali  thefe  Things  be  r — I  anfwer, 
in  the  firriPlace,it  is  p'ain,as  yet  they  hive  not  been, 
thefe  great  Things  have  not  been  accompliihed. 
They  were  not  accomplilhed  when  the  Jews  were 
brought  out  of  their  babylonilh  Captivity  :  for, 
from  thence  to  the  Coming  oi'  Chrifi,  they  never 
Were  in  fo  flouri(hing  a  State  ns  tliey  had  iieen  be- 
fore. They  were  not  accomplilhed  in  the  apoll:olic^ 
Age  :  For,  St.  John,  when  moH-,  if  not  ail,  of  the 
other  Apoff res  were  dead,  fpakc  of  thefe  Things 
(in  thc'KivcJqthn)  as  yet  to  come  to  pafs.  They  were 
hot  accomplilhed  in  the  three  tirli  Centuries  :  for, 
that  was  ahuoft  one  continued  Scene  of  Blood. 
They  were  not  accomplifhed  in  the  Days  of  Con- 
ftantine  the  Great ;  for,  it  is  fmce  then  that  the 
Man  ofb'm  has  been  revealed.  Nor  are  they  accom- 
plilhed to  this  Day  :  for,  Satan  is  ftill  walking  to 
and  fro  thro'  the  Earth,  and  going  up  and  down 
therein  ;  Babylon  is  not  fallen  ;  the  Jews  are  not 
called  ;  nor  is  the  Fulnefs  of  the  Gentiles  come  in  ; 
but  the  greatell  Part  of  the  Earth  to  this  Day  fit  in 
heathenith  Darknefs. 

When  then  fliall  they    be  acomph^cd  ? — Not 

till  '*  the  holy  City    has   been   troden    under  Foot 

*'  forty  twoMonths"— Not  till  "  theWitnelTcs  have 

*'  prophefied  a  Tiioufand,  twoHundred  and  Three- 

*'  fcore  Days,cloathed  inSack^'loth."  {Rey.X\.  2,3.) 

— And  nottiU  "  the  Woman  has  been  in  theWil- 

"  dernefs  a  Time  and  Times    and  half  a  Time." 

{Re-j.Xll.  14.)  Now  a  Time  and  Times  and  half  a 

Time,  i.  e.  three  Years  and  a  half,  is  equal  to, forty 

^   \wo  Months  ;  which  is  equal  to  one  Tlioufand  two 

^  ^Tundred  and  fixty  Days  ;   which   doubtlcfs  means 

3^„j 69  Years,    a  Day  for  a  Year  :  As  tne  Event  has 

ed  was  the  Cafe  in  the  Prophec)'  of  Daniel,  who 

dcclat<:d 


^.T  The  Milknmu?ii. 

declared  It  to  be  70  Weeks,  from  the  going  forth  of 
the  Commandment  to  build  JerulalemVto  theDeath 
of  Chrift.  For  it  proved  to  be  490  Years,  which 
is  7  Times  70,  a  J)ay  r'or  a  Year.   [Dan.  IX.  24.) 

So  that  there  is  no  Difficulty  in  determining  the 
Downtall  of  Antichrift^  but  what  arifcs  from  the 
Uncertamty  we  are  at  when  to  date  the  Beginning 
of  his  Rife  and  Reign.  The  Bifliops  of  Rome  were 
fome  Hundred  Ytars  rifmg  gradually  from  the  ho- 
neil  Cliaracfter  of  a  Scripture-Bifhop  to  the  Grand 
Title  of  w-iivrrfal  Pape^  which  was  obtained,  J.  D, 

6c6. And  it  was  1  long  Tim^  frrm  this,  before 

they  got  to  the  Height  of  their  Grandeur,  and 
the  Pope  was  conftituted  a   tanpoial  Prince,   which 

was  not  till  A.  D,  756.  * And  perhaps  he  may 

fall  as  gradually  as  he  role.  And  as  now  he  haj 
.been  falling  24oYears,  even  ever  fince  theBcginning 
of  the  "Reformation  ;  fo  wc  may  rationally  expec!:"!  ho 
will  continue  to  fall,  till  Baly.ou  finks  as  a  MlMfione 
into  the  Sea,  And  then  "  the  Mountains  and  the 
•'  Hills  fhdll  break  forth  into  Tinging,  and  all  the 
««  IVees  of  the  Field  Hiall  clap  their  Hands."  {Ifai. 
LV.  12.)  And  all  the  Hol^s  of  Heaven  as  loud  as 
Thurtder,  Ihall  fay,  "  Hallelujah  1  For  the  Lord 
*'  God  omnipotent  reigncth.  Let  us  be  glad  and 
"  rejoice,and  giveHonour  tohim  ;  for  the  Marriage 
<'  of  the  Lamb  is  com.c,  and  Ijis  Wife  hath  made 
*'  herfelf  ready."  {Rlv.  XIX.  6,  7.) 

And  thus  we  have  take-n  a  brief  W\c\v  of  tlie 
Scripture-Evidence,  that  the  Caufe  of  l>iuh  an4 
Righteoufnefs  will  finally  becoine  gloriouily  vidq- 
rious.  .   'y 

VL  Nor  is  th/src  the  leafl  Reafon  to  dcuBt,thA 
Accomplifhment  of  thefe  Things.     For,— Go3  A^ 
all  Times  paft  has  been  faithful  to  his  Word,— ^  J' 

*  See  EowsRS  HHlory  of  the  TopeSo 


The  Wllenmum]  ^^ 

IS  evKlently  fufficiently  en^raged  in  tlils  Affair — 
knoA^s  how,  and  can  eali'y  acconiplini  it — and  it  will 
be  much  to  the  Honour  of  his  great  Name  to  do  it. 

God  has  been  faithful  to  his  Prom^fes  to  his 
Church  from  the  Beginning  of  the  World.  To 
ail  humanAppearance,  it  was  a  very  unlikelyThing, 
that  the  Hebrews,  inllaved  in  Egypt,  under  Pha- 
raoii,  a  very  power/ul  Monarch,  and  funk  c'.owri 
into  Idolatry,  and  very  low-fpinteJ,  ihould  anfe, 
and  go  forth  wiih  all  their  Flocks  and  Herds,  and 
march  ihro'  the  Wildtrnefs,  and  conquer  the  fcveii 
Nations  of  Canaan,  and  pollefs  their  Land.  And 
fo  it  was  to  all  human  Appearance  equally  unlikely, 
that  the  Jews  in  Babylon  Ihould  ever  return  to  their 
own  Land.  But  God  had  promifed  in  both  Cafes, 
«nd  God  performed.  And  an  Event  more  furpriz- 
ing  than  either  of  thefe,  yea,  the  molt  ailonilhing 
that  cou'd  have  happened,  has  alfo  come  to  pau, 
juil:  asGod  had  laid.  The  promifed  Seed  has  been 
born,  and  the  Serpent  has  biuifgd  his  Heel ;  and  me- 
thinks  now  not  only  God's  Faithfulnefs,  but  even 
the  Nature  of  the  Cafe  itfelf,  Ihould  lead  us  to 
believe,  that  the  Seed  JJjall  hraifc  his  Head. 

For,  a.tcr  God  has  appeared  to  be  fo  infinitely 
engaged  to  dcrtroy  the  Works  of  the  Devil,  as  to 
give  his  only  begotten  Son,  it  can  furely  never  onca 
be  imagihe<l,"1fViat  he  wan^is  fdiHcient  Refolu^ion  to 
carry  him  ihro'  wh-at  yet  remains  to  be  done. 

And  Ho,  who  could  {tn^i  Pharaoh's  Djughter  tof 
take  up  Mofcs,  uhen  an  Infant,  out  of  his  BsTicet  of 
Bulrulhes,  and  educate  him  in  Pharaoh's  (Jourt, 
that  he  might  be  (l:il!cd  in  all  the  Arts  of  Govern- 
ment ;  and  wlicn  he  had  fpent  forty  Years  in  this 
Situation,  bunilh  him  into  the  Land  of  Midian,  that 
in  the  folitary  Life  of  a  Shepherd  for  another  forty 
Yoj^rs,  he  miglit  attain  to  be  the  meekert  Man  ou 
Earth  j  that  he  mi2ht,bv  both,  be  thoroughly  qua- 


^6  The  Milk nn turn. 

liiled  for  theWork  defigned  him  :— And  He,  who 
could  take  David  from  feeding  his  Father's  Sheep, 
and, after  aCourfe  of  Trials, fo  exceeding  neceffary  to 
prepare  frail  Man  for  high  Honours  and  great  Ufe- 
tulnefs, exalt  him  to  theThrone  oflfracljfo  thorough- 
ly furnifhed  to  head  their  Armies  and  fubdue  their 
Poes,  advance  their   external   Grandeur,  and   put 

greatHonour  upon  their  Religion : And  He,Vv'ho 

could  take  Daniel,  one  of  the  Jewifh  Captives  in 
Babylon,  and  raife  him  to  fuch  high  Honour  and 
great  Authority,  to  be  a  P'ather  to  his  People  thro' 
their  feventy  Years  Captivity,  and  by  his  Means 
(  perhaps  )  influence  Cyrus  fo  generoully  to  releafe 
them,  and  aflift  them  in  theirReturn  :  *  — And  fi- 
nalIy,He,  whocould  take  a  Number  of  poor  illiterate 
Fifhermen,  and  the  perfecuting  Saul,  and  by  them 
lay  theFoundation  of  the  Chriftian  Church, in  Spite 
ot  the  united  Oppofition  of  Earth  and  Hell  ;  and 
after  their  Death  caufe  the  Chriftian  Church'to  live 
thro',  yea,  at  laft  to  triumph  over,  the  ten  bloody 
Perfecutions,  and  even  conquer  the  Roman  Empire  ; 

and 
*  As  Daniel  underftood  the  Prophecies  of  Jeremiah,  wljich 
had  deterrained  the  Time  of  the  Captivity  to  be  70 
Years  {Dun.  IX.  2.)  and  had  his  fieart  fo  much  in  the 
Affair  of  their  Return,  as  to  fet  his  Face  to  Jeek  the  Lord 
ty  Fafling  and  Prayer  ;  [ver.  3 . )  and  being  the  chief 
Man  in  the  Kingdom  muft  have  free  Acccfs,  to  Cyrus  ; 
(/)<i«.  VI.)  fo  nothing  could  be  more  natural  than  to 
fhew  him  an  ancient  Jewirti  Prophecy,  wherein  he  was 
mentioned  by  Name,  near  200  Years  ago,  and  pointed 
out  as  the  Perfon  who  was  to  let  go  the  Jewifti  Capdves, 
build  Jerufalem,  and  lay  the  Foundation  of  the  Tcmp'e. 
Jfai.  XLIV.  28.  &  Chap.  XLV.  1—3.  To  which  Cyms 
no  doabl  refers  in  his  Proclamation.  Ezr.  I.  2,3,4.  •'  Thus 
•«  falthCyrusKingofPcrfia, TheLordGod  of  Heaven  hath 
<*  given  mc  all  the  Kingdoms  of  the  Earth,  and  he  hath 
«*  CHARGED  me  to  build  him  an  Houfc  at  Jerufalen. 
'*  which  is  la  Judah.     Who  is  there  among  you/'  Sec 


The  }dilknmum\  jT* 

and  that  which  is  Oill  more  wondcrfuf,  toTubfiH:  to 
this  Day,  notwithflanding  all  tlie  fubtle  and  cruel 
Methods,  which  have  for  fo  many  Hundred  Years 
been  taken  by  Antichrift  to  extirpate  Chriftianity 
out  of  the  World  :— I  fay,  He  who  could  do  thefe 
Things,  cannot  be  at  at  a  Lofs  for  Means,  or  want 
Power,  to  cffed  the  glorlousThings  foretold,  which 
yet  remain  to  be  accomplifh'd. 

And,  what  if  Mankind  are  ever  fo  ertranged 
from  God  ?  And  what  if  they  are  ever  fo  averfe  to 
a  Reconciliation  ?  And  what  if  Satan  reigns  in  the" 
Courts  of  Princes,  in  the  Councils  of  the  Clergy^ 
as  we,il  as  in  the  Cottages  of  the  Poor  ?  And  what 
if  even  the  whole  World  in  a  Manner  lies  in  Wick- 
cdntfs  ?  So  that  a  general  Conflagration  might  ra- 
ther be  expected,  ?.s  it  is  fo  eminently  deferved  j— 
are  thefe  lliings  any  Bar  in  the  Way  ? 

What  if  Mankind  have  abufcd  divine  Grace 
from  the  Beginning  of  the  World  f  What  if  they 
have  murdered  his  Prophets,  his  Son,  and  h\, 
Apoftles  r  What  if  they  have  refifted  and  grieved 
the  Holy  Spirit,  and  perverted  the  Docftrines,  nntl 
gone  counter  to  the  Precepts  of  his  holy  Word  ? 
Yea,  what  if  it  appears  that  Mankind  are  really  on 
Satan's  Side  ?  And  iiiis  after  all  the  kind  Methods 
God  has  taken  to  reclaim  a  guilty  World  ?  fo  that 
even  the  beQ  Man  on  Earth,  or  the  kindcf!:  Angel  in 
Heaven  might  be  difcouraged,  totally  and  finally 
difcouraged,  and  think  it  never  worth  wiiile  to  taki 
any  more  Pains  with  fuch  a  perverfc  Race,  but  that 
it  were  more  fuitable  to  the  Rules  of  good  Govern- 
ment to  refign  them  to  Deflruc^ion  ?  Are  any,  cr 
all  thefe  Things  together,  a  fuilicient  Bar  to  the 
Accomplifhment  of  God's  Dehgns,  whofc  Good- 
nefs  is  abfoluicly  infinite  ? 

What  !  After  the  Son  of  God  has  been  ofTcrcJ 

^%  a  Sacniice  of  Atoncroenr,io  fecurt  the  Hor.-jur  of 

V  2  the 


jS  The  Mii!::nnium, 

the  divine  Government,  and  open  a  Way  for  thtf 
honourable  Fxercife  of  his  Grace  !  Whar,  after  the 
Mcffiah  has  been  exalted  to  be  a  Prince  and  aSaviour, 
to  give  Repentance  and  Rcmilfion  ot  Sins  !  And 
after  aJl  Power  and  Authority  in  Heaven  and  Earth 
3s  given  into  his  Hands,  on  Purpofe  to  deftroy  the 
Kingdom  of  Satan,  and  bring  every  Nation,  Kin- 
dred and  Toniiuc,  to  bow  tie  Knee  to  God  !  yea, 
when  the  intinitciy  wife  Gcvernour  of  the  World 
Jias  before  determined  to  permit  the  Wickednefs  of 
Jvlankiiid  to  come  out  and  ftand  in  fo  glaring  a 
Light,  and  to  fuffer  Satan  fo  long  to  Pradlife  and 
profper  ;  to  this  very  Purpofe,  tliat  his  Power,  Wif- 
<lom  and  Grace  miglu  be  the  more  cffcdually  and 
the  more  glorioufly  difplayed,  in  the  Accomplifh- 
ment  of  all   his  glorious  Defigns  ! 

Instead  of  being  difcouraged,  from  a  View  of 
the  pal\  or  the  prefcnt  State  of  the  World,  as  with- 
out the  Light  of  divine  Revelation  we  Ihould  na- 
turally have  been  ;  methinks  now,vievving  allThings 
in  the  Light  of  holy  Scripture,  it  mud  be  ^(^Tk€i\y 
rational  to  conclude,  that  all  thefeThiiigs  are  only, 
])reparatory,  as  an  Introdu6ti(^n  to  the  glorious  Day  ; 
even,  as  all  the  cruel  Bondage  of  Ifrael  in  Egypt, 
and  all  the  haughty  Condudt  of  Pharaoh,  were  but 
preparatory,as  an  Introdudion  to  the  gloriousEvent 

that  God  had  then   in  his  Eye. And  what  un- 

fpcakable  Honour  will  redound  to  God  moii  High, 
if  after  all  the  vile  Condudf  of  this  apofiate  World, 
tind  notwithftanding  all  their  Ill-defert,  and  after  ail 
the  fubtle  Methods  Satan  has  taken  to  make  his 
Kingdom  ftrong  ;  1  fay,  wh,at  unfpeakabic  Honour 
\vill  redound  to  God  mofl  High,  if  after  all  tins  f>e 

jhould   accomplhh  las  glorious  Defigns  ? And 

when  Things  have  been  ripening  tlufe  tive 
or  fix  Thoufand  Years,  and  are  now  fo  nearly  every 
Way  prepared  igr  God  to  ^ct  lumfelf  a  ^re^t  Naio^tf 


The  MUUnnLni.  'S'> 

in  the  totnl  Deftruaion  of  Sutan's  KingdoiT!,  can 
v/e  once  imagine  that  God  will  let  the  Opportuniry 
llip  ?  Or  rather,  ouglit  we  not  tirmly  to  believe,' 
tliac  when  every  Thing  is  quite  ripe,  then  God 
\vi!l  arife,  make  bare  his  Arm,  and  till  the  whA^ 
World  with  his  Glory  ? 

Especially,  conlidermor,  that  as  Things  (land^ 
tlic  Honour  of  all  his  glorious  Ferfedtions  lies  ac 
Stjke. — P'or,ever  fmce  the  Almighty  gave  out  the 
AVord,  that  the  ^eed cf  the  JFcr/ian  Jhculd  hrwfe  the^er^ 
pcnt's  Head^  even  from  that  very  Day,  that  old  Ser- 
pent, with  aH  his  Subtilty,  has  employed  his  who's 
Power  to  defeat  the  diviiie  Defigns^  maintain  his 
Kingdom  in  the  World,  and  efcape  the  dreadful 
Blow.— He  llirred  up  Cain  to  kill  his  Brother,  and 
never  left  till  the  whole  Earth  was  tilled  with  Vio- 
lence, v^hich  b  eight  on  the  general  Deluge,  hn  I 
aficr  thcP'lood  he;  was  induilriou.>>  todivertMankiiiJ. 
from  the  Knowled^-e  and  Woriliip  of  the  true  Goci^ 
and  to  eOahlifl-i  Idolatry  and  the  VVorihip  of  Devil's 
in  all  theKingdomsof  the  Earth.  A^^^  iinceChnf- 
tianity  appeared,  he  has  turned  himfelf  into  every 
Shape  to  defeat  the  g:a:ious  Ddlgris  of  the  Gofpel, 
and  has  prevailed  and  reign.d  above  a  Thouf.uid 
Years, at  thcHc'nd  of  the  grand  Anrichridian  Apaila^ 
cy.  And  Ihou'd  the  AhnLihiy  fuffer  him  to  fb  on, 
andprofper,  and  finally  prevaij,  what  would b.^come 
of  his. own  gr.^at  Nime'?  And  how  great  would  ht; 
tli.'ir  7>?umph  in  the  infc-rtVal  Regions,  to  thmic^ 
t'lat  in"  Sj^l^hrof  God  and  or  his  Son,  f.o  n  the  B  :  - 
ginning  rS'ih'e  EVii  -O'fthe  'Woi'W,,.riiev  have  X.tX'x 
yHit   in  J  cor}tWt    \^:&x^  kept  tha  ^\€d.yZ\\\  at  la:'t 

tyiwt    off  vidoriOus  ?  •    Wherciore,.   as   whei 

God  repeats  W^^  ift'bnderful    Works,  which   he  had 

t'one  tor    Ifracl  in  thi;  Days  of  old,   in  the  XXth^. 

Chapter   o^  Ezrli'iel^    he    conl^antiy   fays,  /  wruught. 

J'^r  iiun^  au^i  grsat  Name^  fo   hcrej  in  ibis  Cafv  wni 

lift 


<5S  The  MilleFmum^ 

lie  do  It  again,  and  that  in  the  mod  eminent  Man- 
ner. As  it  is  written,  The  Zeal  ofthg  Lordof  Hofts 
mil  perform  this.   Ifai.  IX.  7. 

So  that,  in  a  Word,  if  almighty  Power  and  In- 
finite Wifdom,  at  the  Head  of  the  Univerfe,  infi- 
nitely engaged, are  a  fufEcient  Match  for  the  Guihy, 
impotent  Powers  of  Darknefs,  then  we  may  depend 
*i3pon  it,  Satan  will  meet  with  an  Overthrow, as  not- 
able as  did  Pharaoh  and  his  Hoft  in  the  Red-Scu. 
And  as  proud  Babylon,  once  the  Miftrefs  of  King- 
doms, is  now  no  more  ;  fo  myftical  Er»bylon  Hiall 
iink  as  a  Alillutone  in  the  Sea,  and  rife  no  more  for 
ever.  And 

yil.  Whatever  Midakes  the  JewiPa  Rabbles 
might  fall  into,  in  their  Interpretation  of  Daniel's  70 
Weeks,  and  in  their  Attempts  to  fix  the  precifei 
rime  of  the  Mefliah's  coming  ;  and  whatever  mil- 
tnken  Notions  any  of  them  had  about  the  Nature  qT 
his  Kingdom,  as  tho*  it  was  to  be  of  this  World, 
and  He  to  appear  in  all  earthly  Grandeur;  and 
altho'  his  Coming,  to  fome  might  fcem  to  be  {o 
long  delayed,  that  they  began  to  give  up  all  Hopes 
of  it,  and  to  contrive  fome  other  Meaning  to  all  the 
ancient  Prophtcies,  or  even  to  call  in  Q^ielVion  the 
Infpiration  of  the  Prophets  :  yet  neither  the  Miftakes 
of  fome,  nor  the  Infidelity  of  others,  at  all  altered 
he  Cafe.  Days  and  Months  and  Years  hafiened 
nlong,  and  one  Revolution  among  the  Kingdoms 
of  the  Earth  followed  upon  another,  till  the  Fulnefs 
cfTirr.e  was  come,  till  all  71iings  were  ripe  ;  and 
then,  Beho.'dj  the  Messiah  v/as  born.  Even  fo  it 
fhall  be  now. 

Whatever  Miftakes  Chrifllan  Divines  may  falj 
into, in  theirliiterpretation  of  665,theNumber  of  the 
Beaft,  or  in  their  Endeavours  to  fix  the  precife  Time 
when  the  i26>o  Years  of  AntichriA's  Reign  HWl 
bcs^in  and  end  j  cr  wh^itSYCf  wrgng  N,p lions  ft  ir.e 


The  Millennium,  g*£ 

have  had,  or  may  have  about  the  Nature  of  the 
Millennium,as  tho'Chrift  was  to  reign  pvirfonalfy  on 
Earth  ;  and  if  fome,  mean  while,  begin  to  think, 
that  all  Things  will  go  on  as  they  have  clone,  and 
to  conclude,  that  the  the  Expectation  of  thefc  glori- 
ous Days,  which  has  prevailed  in  tiic  Chnlliaii 
Church  from  the  Beginning,  is  merely  a  gro-jndlefs 
Fancy  :  Yet  none  of  thefe  Thin^s\vill  at  all  alter 
the  Cafe.  Days  and  xMonths  ana  /ears  will  haften 
(alon2;,  and  one  Revolution  among  the  Kingdoms  of 
the  Earth  follow  upon  another,  until  the  Fulnefs  of 

J  Time  is  come,  till  all  things  are  ripe  for  theEvent  ; 
'and  then  the  Minifters  of  Chrill:  v.-ill  accomplilh  in 
iReallty,  what  Sr.  John  faw  in  his  Vifions  : —  I fiw 
an  Angel  jiy  in  thcMitljl  cf  Heacen^oaving  the  everL/iirt^ 

'  iGofpel  to  preach  unto  them    that  divtll  on  the  Earthy  awl 

So  every  Nation  and  Kindred^  and  Tongue  and  Peoph. 
Rev.  XIV"'.  6.)  And  then  (hall  it  come  to  pafsjthat 
^he  Failoi  Ignorance,  which  hath  fo  long  fpread  over 
all  Nations,  JJjall  be  dc/royed  (Ifai.  XXV.  7.  )  ar^l 
Knowledge  iliall  fo  greatly  increafe,  that  it  lh:ill  be 
as  tho'  the  Light  of  the  Moon  were  as  the  Li^ht  ofths 
Sun^  and  the  Light  cf  the  Sun  [even  fold  (  Jfai.  XXX. 
26.)  until  the  Knowledge  of  the  Lord  cover  thi  Earthy 
as  the  fritters  do  the  Sea,  (  Ifai.  X[.  9.  )  Am\  then 
\ht\tff?a!t  be  nothing  to  hurt  or  o^end  in  all  G.d's  holy 
Mountain.  *For  Bihylon  (hall  fall,  Satan  be  bpund, 
and  Chrii\  will  reign,  and  Truth  and  Rightcoulhefs 
univerl'ally  prevail,  a  Thoufand  Years. 

REMARKS  and  INFERENCES. 

I.  When,  therefore,  our  Saviour  in  the  Days  of 
)i'is  Flefa,  denominated  his  Fo! lowers  a  little  Ehck^ 
from  the  Smallnefs  of  their  Number,  lie  had  noDe- 
fign  to  teach  us,  thjt  this  would  always  be  the  Cik*. 
For  ahho'  it  was  very  true,  that  lusFLck  was  at  that 
F  4    '  ■'  Timg 


^2  The  Millennhi^\ 

Time^  Uitk  Fleck  ;  yet  the  Day  was  comln*,  when 
tliat  Utile  Leaien  (liould  IcaveJi  the  whoU  Lump  [Mat, 
Xni.  33.  )  and  the  Stone  cut  cut  ivithcut  Hafids\ho\x\\ 
become  a  great  Mountain^  and  pi  I  the  v^hcle  Earth. 
(Da?i.  II.  25.)  So,  altho'  it  was  a  Saying  very  ap- 
pl.cable  not  only  to  our  Saviour's  Day,  but  to  mo.l: 
other  Periods  ot  the  Church, *r|iat7??r/'ry  are  called  tmd 
feiv  are  chofen  \  yet  it  dues  not  hcn^e  fol!ov\',"that  this 
will  be  the  Cafe  wl-.en  a  Nation. JJjall  bejdifn  in  a  Day^ 
and  all  thePeqle  Jlmll  he  righteous.  Anil  ah  ho'  it  has 
commonly  been  (bjthat  of  theM?/'rj/  who  have  fouglit; 
to  enter  in  at  the  jlrait  Gate^  but  Few  have  been  ahle^ 
and  the  Generality  have  from  Age  to  Age  gone 
in  the  hraadlVay^  which  leads  dciin'io  Deftiu^ion  :  vet 
it  Iball'be  quite  otlierwife,when  Satan  is  hound^  that  he[ 
may  deceive  the  Nations  no  mere  \  and  when  allJJxm 
blow  the  Lord  from  the  lea  ft  to  the  greateji^vihtn  t'i^^ 
Kingdom  andil.eGreain'fs  of  theJCirigdom-  under  the  ivhcle 
Heavens^  jhall  he  given  to  the  Pe-opU  of  the  Saints  of  the,  I 
Moft  Fligh. — For  it  is  very  plain,  that  thefe  and  fuch 
like  Expreiilons  ufed  by  our  Saviour,  which  were 
applicable  to  the  then- times,  and  to  moft  other 
Periods,  when  the  Number  of  true  Convcr  s  hath 
bet-n  comparatively  very  fm^}!,  were  never  defigned 
to  be  applicable  to  th^it  glorious  Period  yet  to  come, 
vhich  !S  to  be  the  g.rund  KarvetVTime,  when  the 
Jo'zus  f  who  are  to  this  Day  for  that  very  Purpofc, 
ro  doubt,  by  divine  Providence  v^Jefcrvett  a  diilincfl 
People  )  and  the  Fulnefs  of  the  Gentiles  /hall come  in-. 
Nor  c«n  ii  be  right  to  iLiterpret  iuth  Pxpifcii'ons  iii 
fuch  a  Senfe,  as  ro  render  ihcni  incordVlUnt  \\\\\\ 
wliat   the  Scriptures   lo    pbi'dy  ler.ch    ihali   be  the- 

Cafe  in  the  latter  Days. l^hercforo, 

2.  NoTWiTHSTAiVDlKO    liithtrto  but  fcv^   h;;' e 
been  faved,    tlicre    is  no  Evidence  but  that 
greater  Part  of  Mankind  may  be  faved.      N 


The  Milknmunt',  6^ 

have  been  jull  mentioned,  for  the  Rcafon  already 
fuiZgeft.d.  Nor  can  anvThing  be  argued  from  any 
otiier  PalBges  of  Scripture  •,  for  the  Scripture  no 
where  teaches,  that  fhe  greatell  Part  of  the  whole 
h  iiranRace  will  finally  peridT..  1  am  fenHble,  many 
lecm  to  ta!^'^  t!>^«  f?r  granted,  and  they  are  greatly 
flrcngthen.  sBeiicf,  from  a  View  of  the  awful 

State^i^^.nic.:  t,  n:ivc  been  iti  from  the  Begirming  of 
the  World  to  this  Dav.  But  if  we  fhouMevea 
gviini,  that  [,ith.p:;o  nui  One  in  ten  Hioutand  have 
been  lavtc!,  \c!  It  uisy  come  to  pafs  ( tiicre  may  be 
Time  enough  for  it,  and  Men  enough  yet  born) 
I  fay,  it  may  vet  come  to  }>ars,  that  by  far  the  grea** 
telt  Part  ot  Miinkmd  may  be  laved. 

For, as  theScriptures  condantly  teach, that  in  thcfe 
glorious  Days,  univerfal  Peace  (bail  prevail ;  and 
iiifiead  of  War,!he  Nations  ihall  em^^loy  their  Time 
in  ufeful  Labour,//?)^//  beat  their  Swords  into  P/oiv^ 
fna;  es^and thiir  Spears  into  Pruning- hooks  ;  fo  it  will  na- 
turally come  to  pafs,  that  Mankind,  who  are  now  in 
vail  Multitudes  deflroyed  iii  the  Wars  from,  one 
Generation  to  another,  will  be  greatly  incr'rafed  in 
Numbers,  and  plentifully  pi^'ided  for.  Only  re- 
movcWars,  P'am.ines,  and  all  thofe  defolating  Judg* 
ments,  whicli  the  Sins  of  Mankind  have  from  Age 
to  Age  brought  down  on  a  guiity  World,  anJ  let 
that  univer^ Peace  andProfpei  iry  take  Place,  which 
indeed  will  naturajlv  refult  nom  the  fmcere  Pradl.ce 
.of  pure  Chriilianity,  and  Mankind  will  naturally 
increafe,  and  fpread,  and  fill  ai!  the  Earth.  And 
while  every  one  improves  hisT^ime  well,  and  is  di- 
Jigcnt  in  his  Calling,  accovdaigto  the  Rules  of  our 
lioiy  Religion,  and  a'l  Luxury,  Intemperance  and 
Exrravagsnce  are  banilhi  from  the  Nations  of  th« 
Earth,  it  is  certain  tir-it  this  Globe  will  be  able  to 
fuibjii  with  Food  and  Raiment,  a  Numb.r  of  Jiiha* 
biiants  iinuACiifeiy  greater  than  ever  yei  dvvek  on  it 


^4  The  Millcnntum] 

at  aTime.And  now  if  tf//thefe  fhall  know  the  Lord  from 
the  li:aJJto  the  greatej}^  as  the  Scripture  afTerts,  fo  that 
the  Knowledge  of  the  Lord  frail  fill  the  Earth  as  the  JVa- 
iivs  ccver  the  Sea,  for  a  Thouland  Years  together,  it 
may  eafily,  yea,  it  will  naturally  come  to  pafi,  that 
there  will  be  more  faved  in  thefe  Thoufand  Years, 
then  ever  before  dwelt  upon  i'^';  Face  of  the  Earth 
from  the  Foundation  of  the  W'prld. 

Some  indeed  underftand  ^'  T!  ufand  Years  in 
ih^  Revelation  ^grezbh  to  c  .  r  proplictical  Num- 
bers in  that  Dook,  a  Pay  for  a  Year.  So  the  Timf, 
ofid  Times f  and  half  a  Time,  i.  e.  three  Years  and  an 
half,  and  the  forty  two  Months,  and  the  1260  Days^ 
are  no  doubt  to  be  reckoned.  And  if  the  dark 
Period  is  to  be  reckoned  by  this  Rule,  it  (hould  fcem 
that  the  lit' ht  Period  {hould  likewife.  p'or  other- 
"wife  the  dark  Period,  vhich  in  that  Book  is  reprcK 
fented  to  be  the  fliorteft,  will  indeed  be  the  longefV, 
The  1260  Days  longer  then  the  icco  Years, -rand* 
if  the  1000  Years  is  reckoned  a  Day  for  a  Year,  as 
the  Scripture -Year  contains  360  Days,  fo  the  1000 
Years  will  amount  to  360,000  Years.  In  which, 
there  might  beMillions  faved, to  One  that  has  been 

Joft. But  not  to  infifl   upon  this,  If  this  e:lorlous 

Period  is  to  laft  only  a  Thoufand  Years  literally, 
there  may  be  many  more  faved  than  loft. 

If  it  be  granted,  that  it  is  difficult  to  compute 
with  any  Exa6\nefs  in  fuch  a  Cafe  as  this,  yet  it  is 
cafy  to  make  fuch  a  Computation  as  may  farisfy  us 
in  the  Point  before  us.  For  in  Egypt  the  Hebrews 
doubled  at  the  Rate  of  about  once  in  14  Years  ; 
in  A^i?zc;-£w^/^A/^/ the  Inhabitants  double  in  lefs  than 
25  Years  ;  it  will  be  moderate  therefore  to  fuppofe, 
NJankind  in  the  Millennium,  when  all  the  Eirth  is 
full  of  Peace  and  Profperity,  will  double  every  50 
Years.  But  at  this  Rate,  there  will  be  Tjiiie  e- 
noush  in  aThoufand  Years  to  double  twcn^vTime> 


The  MUIennlum] 


^s 


Which  would  produce  fuch  a  Multitude  of  People, 
as  that  altho'  we  Ihould  fuppofj  all  who  live  bctore 
the  Millennium  begins,  to  be  loft  ;  yet  if  all  thcfe 
(hould  be  faved,  there  would  be  above  feventecn 
Thoufand  faved,to  One  that  would  be  loft.  As  may 
appear  from  the  Tabic  below. 

3-  Ths 


1 

."" 

- 

:  ^'-i! 

Im    the    firft  Column,  wc 

2 

- 

have  the  20  Periods,    which 

3 

•                  w 

1000  Years  will  nukc,at  50 

4 

i6 

Years  to   a  Period.  —  In  the 

S 

32 

fecond  Ccluinn,   we   fee  in 

6 

64 

whatProportionMankind  will 

7 

128 

incrcafe,  if  they  arc  foppofed 

8 

.    256 

to  double  in  every  50 Years. -- 

9 

-     512 

At  the  End  of  the  firft  Fir'ty 

lO 

1024 

Years,  there  will  be  two  for 

1 1 

2048 

one. — Andfoon— AttheEnd 

12 

4096 

of  the  2orh  Period,thcrewiIi 

13 

8192 

be  above  a'  lillion  for  one. — 

14 

16384 

Now  fuppofc  the  World  to 

i; 

3276S 

ftand  6000  Years  before  the 

i6 

6ss^6 

Millennium— and  fuppofe  ic 

17 

131072 

in  every  Age  to  be  as  full  of 

iS 

262144 

Inhabitants  as  it  will  be  when 

19 

524288 

20 

1048576 

And  fupp  .fe,  through  all  the 
6000  Vcrirs,   all  the  inhabi- 

Snm 

total. 

2,097,150 

tants  of  the  Earth    to   have 

died  off  and  new  ones  come   *"  their  Room,  at  the  Rare  of 
once  ki  50  Years— 6000  Years,  at  50  Years  to  a  Period, 

will  be  120  Periods 120  Worlds  full  — all  loO, fuppofe 

— yet  by  theTablc  we  fee,  that  the  7thPeriod  alone  (which 
is  128)  would  more  than  coantcr  ballincc  uhe  Whole 

Suppofe  all  before  the  Millennium  lofl  =:     120 
SiippoTe  all  in  the  Millennium  fi"°d     rr     2097150 
Then   12a  :  2097150  :  :  i  :  17456  -,^    Q^E.  O, 

Thit 


€6  The  Mllknmum. 

3.  The  Periods  pad,  that  have  been  fo  darlc, 
ought  to  be  conlidercd  as  iiuioduetory  to  tiiis 
b-ri^ht  and  glorious  Scene,  and  in  various  Refpecls 
as  preparatory  thereto. 

An  apoftate  Race,  \vlio  had  joined  with  the  fallen 
Angels  in  a  Courie  of  Rebellion  againft  the  Gover- 
nor of  the  Univerfe,  might  juilly  Imve  been  for- 
faken  of  God,  and  given  up  to  a  State  of  pcrfccft 
Darknefs  and  Vv'oe,  iioni  GeneraticntoGcneration, 
entirely  under  the  Power  of  tli .  of  Dartcnefs. 

What  has  happened,  in  darlt/.,^^..  ^ ,  inay  help  us 

a-littjc  to  realize vs'hat  might  jullly  always  have*been 
the  woul  State  of  a  fallen  W'or.d.  We  have  had 
a  Spetiiiicn  cfthe  dreadful  Nature  and  Tendency  of 
Satan's  Government, in  all  the  Idolatry,  Wickcdnefs 
and  Woe,  which  have  hlled  tlie  World.  Arid  we 
have  fcen  a-liitle  w  hat  is  in  tlicHeart  oi'  fallen  Man, 
who  have  llain  the  J^ord's  i*ropr»ets, crucified  hisSon, 
and  fned  the  Blood  of  Thoufands,  yea  of  Mihions 
of  his  Servants.  And  what  has  happened  may  help 
us  to  realize  a-little  what  muii:  have  been  the  State 

of 

That  is,  above  17000  would  be  favcd,  to  One  lofl  ;  which 
TVas  the  Point  to  be  proved. — Therefore  r.oihing  hindt-rs, 
but  that  the  greatefl  Part  of  iMankind  may  yet  be  faved,  if 
Cod  fo  pleafes.  Therels  Time  entiigh  for  it,  and  may  be 
Men  enough  yet  born.  And  if  thife  Calculations  may  * 
fervc  to  clear  up  this, they  anfwcr  the  End  propofcd.  What 
Proportion  of  iVIankind  will  finally  be  faved,  and  v;hat  loft, 
none  can  teU.  It  is  no  where  revealed.  God  was  not  obliged 
to  favc  One  oiu  of  all  this  guilty  loil  World.  Hitherto  the 
Generality  may  have  periflicd  :  and  the  Lord  isRighteous. — 
Put  who  can  tell, to  what  a  Degree  God  n>ay  yet  glorify  his 
Grace  .^  The  holy  Scriptures  encourage  us  to  look  ForThings- 
exceeding  great  and  gloriojs  ;  even,  tor  fjch  Events  asruay.  , 
put  a  new  face  on  all  God's  pafl:  Difpenlations.  (Sec  t>,c 
following  Sermons  oa  tke  IVifdoni  of  Ccd  in  th  Pcrjuij/ion 

^/SiH.)  ^ 


The  Milknmum:  % 

of  a  fallen  World,  if  Grace  had  never  mterpofed. 
At  the  fame  Time  it  hath  appeared,  after  the  belt 
contrived  Experiments  have  been  fufRciently  tried, 
that  it  is  not  in  the  Heart  of  fallen  Man  to  repent, 
nor  can  he  be  brought  to  it  by  any  external  Means 
"whatfoevcr  ;  whereby  the  abfolute  Necefiity  of  the 
Interpofition  of  Aipernatural  Grace  hath  been  fet  ia 
tiie  mod  glaring  Light.— And  now,  if  after  all  God 
(liould  effeclualiy  interpofe,  deftroy  the  Influence  of 
Satan,  fcatter  the  Darknefs  which  fills  the  World, 
recover  Mankind  to  God,  and  caufe  Truth  and 
Rightcoufnefs  atlaflto  prevail ;  it  would  appear  to 
be  altogether  of  Ged,  of  his  own  mere  felt-moving 
Ooodnefs  and  fovcreigri  Grace.  And  after  fo  long 
and  fore  a  Bondage,  Mankind  will  be  the  more  fen- 
fible  of  the  Greatnefs  of  the  Deliverance.— — N"oe 
■can  it  ever  be  faid  by  a  proud  and  haughty  World, 
*'  We  did  not  Need  the  Influences  of  divine  Grace 
•'  to  bring  us  right  j"  Whenas  ail  other  Methods 
had  been  fufficiently  tried,  and  tried  in  vain.  But 
God  mayjuftly  fay,  *'  What  could  have  been  dons 
"*'  more  to  reclaim  Mankinds  that  I  have  not  done  t 
"  And  to  what  Fi'.rpcfe  would  it  have  b«erK,to  have 
^'  taken  one  Step  further  ?  I  tried  them  enough* 
**  There  was  no  Hope,     Their  Heart  was  a  Heart 

*'  of  Stone. Therefore,  behold,  I,   even  I  will 

*'  take  away  the  Heart  of  Stone,  and  give  an  Hearc 
*•  of  Flefh  ;  and  an  npoflate  World  (hall  be  alham-^. 
•'  cd  and  confounded,  and  (hail  never  open  their 
<*  Mouth,when  I  ft:iall  do  all  thefeThingsfor  tlicm." 
We  are  apt  to  wonder  wliy  thefe  glorious  Days 
(liouldbefo  long  delayed, if  God  indeed  intends  fucU 
A4ercy  to  Men. — But  God  infinitely  wife,  knows 
"What  is  heft  J — knows  how  to  conduct  the  Affairs 
of  the  Univerfe  ;  knows  when  is  the  fttteil  Time  to 
introtluce  this  glorious  State  of  Things  ;  knows 
when  Matters  Vv'ili  be  all  ripencd»  and  every  Thing 


^^  The  Millennium, 

in  the  moral  World  prepared  ;  fo  that  this  glorious 
bay  may  be  udicred  in  to  the  befl-^Advantagc,  in 
3l  Manner  moft  fuited  to  honour  God  and  his  Son^ 
to  humble  a  haughty  World,  and  to  difappoint  Sa- 
tan mofc  grievoufly,  after  all  his  wilySchemes,  grea,t 
Succers,and  high  Expectations  : — I  fay,  God  knows 
when  this  will  be  :  And  this  is  the  veryTniie  he  has 
fixed  upon  for  this  glorious  W©ik. 

4.  It  therefore  becomes  all  the  Followers  of 
Chri{l,in  their  feveralSpheres,in  under  firmBeliif  of 
thefe  Things,  to  be  of  good  Courage,  and  exert 
themfelves  to  the  utmoft,  in  the  Ufe  of  all  proper 
Means,  to  fupprefs  Error  and  Vice  of  every  Kind, 
and  promote  the  Caufe  of  Truth  and  Righteoufnefs 
intheWorldj  and  fo  be  Workers  together  with 
God. 

If  one  flood  at  the  Head  of  this  glorious  Army, 
which  has  been  in  the  Wars  above  thefeiive  Thou- 
fand  Years,  and  has  lived  thro'  many  a  dreadful 
Campaign,  and  were  allowed  to  make  a  Speech  to 
thefe  veteran  Troops,  upon  this  glorious  Thcme,lie 
might  lift  up  hisVoice,  and  fay,  "  Hail,  noble  He- 
*'  rocs  !  brave  Followers  of  the  Lamb  !  Your  Gc- 
*'  neral  has  facrificed  hlsXifc  in  this  glcriousCaufe, 
*'  and  fpoiled  Principalities  and  Powers  on  the 
*'  Crcfs  1  and  now  he  lives  and  reigns.  He  reigns 
"  on  high,  with  all  Power  in  Heaven  and  Earth  ia 
•'  his  Hands.  Your  PredecelTors,  the  Propliets, 
*'  Apcflles  and  Martyrs,,  with  undaunted  Courage 
''  have  marched  into  the  Field  of  Battle,  and  con- 
*^*  quered  dying  1  and  now  reign  in  Heaven  !  Be- 
*'  hold,  ye  arc  rifcn  up  in  their  Room,  arc  engaged 
"  in  the  fame  Caufe,  and  the  Time  of  the  la(\  ge- 
"  neral  Battle  draws  on,  when  ^  glorious  Vicflory  is 
^'  to  be  won.  And  altho' many  a  vahant  Sojdicr 
*'  may  be  flain  in  the  Field  ;  yet  the  Army  lliall 
^}  drive  ill  before  them  ac  lail.    And  Satan  being 

5^  conquered. 


The  Millennium.  ^^ 

"  conquered^  and  all  the  Powers  of  Darknefe  driven 
"  out  of  the  Field,  and  confined  to  the  bottomlefs 
*'  Pit,  ye  Ihall  reign  with  Chrift  a  thcufand  Years. 
*'  reign  in  Love  and  Peace,  while  Truth  and  Righ- 

"  teoufncfs    ride  triumphant  thro'  the  Earth. 

''  Wherefore  lay  afide  every  Weight,  and,  with 
your  Hearts  wholly  intent  on  this  grand  Affair, 
gird  up  your  Loyns,  and  with  all  the  fpiritual" 
Weapons  of  Faith,  Prayer,  Meditation,  Watch- 
''  fulncfs,  liC.  with  redoubled  Zeal  and  Courage 
fall  on  your  fpiritual  Enemies.  Slay  every  Luft 
that  yet  lurks  within,  as  knowing  yourdomeftic 
*'  Foes  arc  the  moft  dangerous.  And  with  Gentle- 
*'  nefs,  Meeknefs  and  Wifdom,  by  your  holy  Con- 
'*  dud,  your  pious  Examples,  your  kind  Inflrudi- 
'*  ons,  your  friendly  Admonitions,  fpread  theSavour 
**  of  divine  Knowitdge  all  around  you,  as  ye  are 
*'  fcattered  here  and  there  thro'  a  benighted Woi Id; 
'*  labouring  to  win  Sou!s  to  Chrlft,  to  induce  the 
"  deluded  Followers  of  Satan  to  dcfert  his  Camp, 
**  and  inlifl  as  Volunteers  under  your  Prince  Mes- 

*<  siAH. And  if  the  Powers  of  Darknefs  fhould 

"  rally  all  their  Forces,  and  a  general  Battle  thro* 
''  all  the  Crhirtian  World  come  on  ;  O,  love  not 
*'  }0ur  Lives  to  the  Death  !  Sacrifice  every  earthly 
"  Comfort  in  the  glorious  Caufe  !  Sing  the  'Fri- 
*'  umphs  of  your  victorious  General,  in  Pr,fons  and 
*'  at  the  Stake  I  And  die  couragiouily,  firmly  be- 
*'  lieving  the  Caufe  of  Truth  and  RiglUeoufnefs 
*'  will  finally  prevail.'* 

Surely  it  is  infinitely  unbecoming  the  Followers 
of  him  who  is  Kin^  of  Kings  and  Lord  of  Lordsy  to- 
turn  afide  to  earthly  Purfuits,or  to  fink  down  in  un- 
manly Difcouragcmcnts,  or  to  give  Way  to  Sloth 
and  EtFeminacy,  when  there  is  fo  much  to  be  done, 
ind  the  glorious  Day  is  coming  on.  How  (hould 
ihofe  who  handle  the  Pen  of  the  Writer,  exert 
Cj  2  them- 


r 


7»  The  MdhnnluT^. 

themfelves  to  explain  and  Tindicat€  divine  Truths, 

and  paint  the  Chriftian  Religion  in  all  its  native 
Glories  ?  liow  (hould  the  Pulpit  be  animated, from 
Sabbath  to  Sabbaih,  with  Sermons  full  of  Know- 
ledge and  Light,  full  cf  Spirit  anc*  Life,  full  of  Zeal 
for  God,  and  Love  to  Men,  and  tender  Pity  to  infa- 
tuated Sinners  r  Cbrift   loves  to  have  his  Minilkrs 

faithful,  \\hether  the  Wicked  will  hear  or  not. 

And  let  pious  Parents  be  unwearied  in  their  Prayers 
for,  and  Inftructions  of  their  Ciiildren,  and  never 
iaint  under  any  Difcouragements  ;  as  knouin^>*hat 
Chrifl:  is  exalted  to  give  Repentance  and  Remiffion 
of  Sins,  aad  can  do  it  for  whom  he  will.  Bring  your 
ChiWren  aad  Friends,  with  all  their  fpiritual  Dif- 
cafes,  and  lay  them  at  his  Feet  ;  as  once  they  did 
•  heir  Sick, when  this  kind  Saviour  dwelt  onEarth. — 

et  pious  Perfons  of  every  Age,  and  in  every  Capa- 
tity,  awake  from  Sleep,and  arife  from  the  Dead, and 
iive  and  2(51  worthy  their  glcriousCharacler  and  high. 
Lxpecftations  i  and  in  their  fevetal  Stations  exert 
themfelves  to  the  utmofi  to  promote  theRcdeemer's 
^^iorious  Caufe. — Let  this  Age  do  their  Share,  as 
David,   altko*  the   Temple  was    net  to  be  -built 

1  his  Day,  yet  exerted  himfelf  to  lay  up  Materials 
Jor  that  magnificent  Edifice,  on  which  hisUeart  was 
intently  fet  ^  as  knowing,  that  La-  his  Son's  Day  it 
would  be  fet  up  in  all  its  Glory.  So  kl  us  rife  up> 
and  vvith  the  greateft  Alacrity  conmbute  our  uxmoft 
towards  this  Building,this  liviagl'emplc,  thisTena- 
ple  all  made  of  lively  Stones,of  Stones  alive,in  which 
God  is  to  dwell,  and  which  will  infinitely  exceed  in 
Glory  the  Temple  of  Solomoa,  that  was  built  of 
dead  Timber  and  lifclefs  Stones.— And  let  this  be 
our  daily  Prayer,  an  Anfwcr  to  which  we  may  be 
aflured  of,  whatever  other  Requefts  are  denied  uf. 
Our  Father  which  art  in  Htaven^  hz.—for  thins  is  thr. 
Kingdom^  ih  Foiver^  and  the  Glory^  for  c^^-*--     A  MT.  n  . 


(     71     ) 

^^        '^        *•        «•       ** 


The  Wisdom  of  God 

in  the  Permiffion  of  Sin. 
SERMON     I. 

Genesis     L.     20. 
: 7^E  thoughi  Evil  again]}  Ml'  j    hut  C.  ' 


7nea?2t  it  luito  Gcod- 


JACOB  being  dead  and  buried,  and  Jofeph  dill- 
Governor  over  all  the  L:nd  of  Egypt,  iiis  guilty 
Brethren  began  to  be  afraid,  that  Jofeph,  iii 
v/hofe  Power  they  now  were,  and  at'vvhofe  Mercy 
tney  now  lay,  would  requite  them  Evil,  for  the  ia- 
huinan,  barbarous  Deed  they  had  formerly  commit- 
ted-  in  felling  him  for  a  Sl^ve,  notwiihftanding  alt 
]ii.s  Cries  and  Teafs,  and  the  Anguiili  of  his  Sou!> 
Wherefore  having  fi^:^  feni  Meffengers  to  him,  r  > 
pacify  him,  and  beg  his  P*irdon  ^  they  venture  atlall 
into  his  Prefenc?,  and  fall  down  before  his  Face, 
unci  re  '  ti  to  his  Mercy,  faying,  *^^  Dchold,  we  ba 
*'  r'.-  rvants." /.  >.  We  have  nothing  to  fay  for 
o  ;  "we  are  verily  guihy  :  vre  are  in  liiyPow- 

ei  ,   \«     .jrrender  ourfelves  to  thv  Difpofil,  Upou 
wliivh;  Jo.e.ph  laid  uiito  them,  "  Fear  not"  any  Harm 
G  3  i;o:i 


7«  ,  Tht  Wisdom  of  Qoi 

from  me.  <«  For  am  I  in  the  Place  of  God,**  the 
righteous  Judge  of  the  World,  to  whom  Vengeance 
belongs,  and  with  whom  you  had  Need  make  your 
Peace  !  'Tis  true  indeed,  ye  a<^ed  a  barbarous  and 
cruel  Parf^  «  Ye  tho't  Evil  againft  me  :  but  God," 
'^rvho  had  the  ordering  of  the  whole  Affair,.  <«  meant 
*'  it  for  Goody  Xo  bring  topafs  as  it  is  this  Day,  ta 
*«  fave  much  People  alive."  And  white  I  behold 
the  Wifdom  and  Goodnefs  of  God,,  fo  confpicuous 
in  thisDirpcnfation,  I  have  noDifpofftion  to  rcveng«- 
the  Injury  you  did  me.  Therefore  h^r  not ::  for  in- 
ftead  of  requiring  you  the  Evil,,  you  are  fenfible  you 
deferve,  for  your  ill  Treatment  of  m^y.  L-vvjli  rather, 
m  Imitation  of  God,  whe^  hath  been,  lb  kind  to-nie; 
m  all  my  Diflreffes^,.  treat  yoa  with  all  Goodnefs. 
"  I  will  nourifh  you  and  your  little  Ones,  Thusiia 
comforted  them,  and  fpake  kindly  to  them." 

At  the  fame  Time  Jpfeph  viewed  the  Conducft  of 
his  Brethren,  and  conlwlered  their  Temper  and  De- 
iigns,  and  the  Keinousncfs  of  ihcin  Crime  ;  he  alfo 
Tbcheld  the  Hand  o£  God,,  which  he  as^  plainly  faw 
in  the  whole  Affair,  pcRmiuing  and  over-ruling  his 
Ertthrcn's  Sin,  to  anfw-er  good  and  noble  Ends  : 
A«d  tliis  iiidirpofed  him  to  any.  angry  Refentments, 
and  framed  h>s  Soul  only  to  Gratitude  to  God,  and 
Love  and  Kindnefi  to  his  Brethren.  Bis  feeing  the 
Ifondof  God  in  it,  or  ta.ufe  his  own  Language,,hi$ 
feeing  that  **  God  meant"  he  Hiould  be  fold,  and 
that  it  was  '«-  God  who  fentjhim  thither,"  together 
with  xht  happy  Experience  he  had  had  of  the  Wif- 
ftpm  asid  Goodnefs  of  God  in  the  Affair,  not  only 
prepared  him  to  forgive  his  Brethren ;  But  to  treat 
them  with  all  poffible  Tendernefs,  and  fraternal 
Goodnefs.  So  thtt  he  was  not  only  fully  fatisficd 
in  the  Wifdora  of  Gcd  in  the  PermifTion  of  that 
Sin  i  but  was  thereby  the  better  prepared  to  do  his 
Duty, 

POCTRINB, 


tu  iht  Permijjion  of  Sm,  jr^ 

Doctrine.  "  A  Sight  of  the  Wifdom  of  God 
HI  the  Permiflion  of  Sin,  is  very  ufeful  to  prQmota 
Hohnefs  of  Heart  and  Life  :  It  has.  a  gr«at  Ten^ 
dcncy  to  make  us  feel  right,  and  behave  welli" 

Thus  it  was  with  Jofeph,  as  we  have  {t^x\^  And 
thus  it  was  with  7^^,  who,  while  the  Sabeans  wick- 
edly robbed  him>  eyed  the  Hand  of  God,  and  faid, 
"  The  Lord  gave,  and  the  Lord  hath  taken  away, 
and  bleflcd.  be  tl^.e  N^me  of  the  Lord."*  And  thus- 
it  was  with.  £)jz;/V,  v/hils  Shimei  wickedly  abuied 
him,  going  along  on  the  Hill  over  againft  him,  as- 
he  was  fleeing  out  of  Jerufalem  from  the  Hands  of 
Abfalomihis  Son^  and  curled  him.  as  he  went,  fay- 
ing, *'  Come  out,  come  out,  thou  bloody  Man." — 
"  Let  him  Curfe"  fays- David,  "  for  the  Lord  hath.. 
"  bidden  him."t  *  Ijuftjy  deferve  it  at  the  Hands 
of  the  IViUjeftyof  Hfeaven,aga!ntl  whom  I  have  grie- 

voully  finned. A  bloody  Man   indeed  Lam  ! — 

O  Uriah  !  Uriah  I 1  fljall  nevec  forget  the  Blood. 

of  the  valiant  Uriah  !  * 

But  it  is  needlefs  to  multiply  ThAanccs*.  For 
nothing  is  plainer,  than  that  it  muft  tend  to  .bring  us> 
to  a  right  Temper  of.  Mind,  in  every  Circumftance 
of  Life,  to  view  infinite  Wifdom,  as- ordering  all 
Things,  which  concern. us,  in-  the  wifeH:  and  befc 
Manner.  Nor  could  any  Tho't  be  more  fliocking 
to  a  pious.  Mind,  than  to  conceive  the  S)eity  as 
unconcerned. in  humanAffairs, — tl^  Devil  ruling  ia 
the  Children  of  Difobedisnce  without  Controul, and 
all  Things  juinbling  along.-in.thiS' Wicked  World, 
without  the  Icaft  ProfpecfV  o-f  any  good  End  ever  to, 
be  anfwered.  But  if  all  Things,.  gocKl  and  bad,  are 
under  the  Government  of  infini«^e  Wifdom.;  this- 
affords  a.fure  Profpedbof  a  happy  Iflue..  And  under 
fuch  a  wife  and  pv^rfctjt  Government,  we  have  the 
greatefllnducemcnt  to  go  on  chearfuJly.  in  tiieWays 

of 

*  >b.  t.—         t  2  Sam,  :Jt¥r» 


74  5^6^  Wisdom  of  God 

cf  our  Duty  ;  having  always  an  implicit  Faith  in  the 

Supreme  Ruler  of  the  Univerfe. Wherefore,  the 

Tru'h  o~  the  Do61rine  being  thus  plain  and  evident, 
I  Oi-ll  on  y  attempt  to  ihew, 

I.  What  we   are  to  underhand  by  God's  /)^r- 
mitiing  Sin.  And, 

II.  The  JViJdom  of   God   in   the  PermifTion  of 
Sin.  And  tlien, 

III.  Coti^tuDE  with  a  pradtical  Improvement. 

I.  What  are  ^e  to  underlland  by  God's  per- 
mitting Sin  ? 

1.  Not  that  He  loves  Sin,  or  that  there  is  any 
Thing  in  theNature  of  Sin  that  he  approves  of.  For 
it  is  tlie  abomhiab'e  Thing,  which  his  Soul  hats-th. 
AVhrn  lie  viewed  the  Temper,  Conducfi:  and-Dcfign 
cf  Jofeph's  Brethren,  they  each  of  them  appeared 
pcrtecflly  odious  in  his  Eyes.  Their  Envy  and  Ma- 
lice he  abhorred  :  iheir  cruel  and  barbarous  Deed 
lie  detefted  :  their  Defign  intimated  in  that  Saying, 
''  And  then  ihall  we  fee  what  will  become  of  his 

''  Dreams,"*  he  perfc(5ily  difapproved. 

2.  Much  lefs  are  we  to  imagine,  that  God  in 
permitting  Sin  deprives  the  Sinner  of  the  Freedom 
of  his  V/ill.  Jofeph's  Brethren  felt  themfelves  at 
Liberty  ;  and  in  the  whole  Affair  acled  according 
to  their  own  Inclinations, — '}W?i  as  tliey  pleafed. 

3.  God's  permitrir.g  Sin  coriTiils  nnerely  in  not 
hindering  of  it.  He  fa-v,  that  Jofeph's  Brcthrent, 
confidering  ilieir  Tepjper,  and  liovv  they  had  their 
Brother  out  in  the  Field,  and  how  that  the  lihmae- 
Jitilh  Merchants  would  focii  come  by,  l^c  h'c. 
would  certainly  fell  him,  un'efs  he  intcrpofed 
to  hinder  it.  And  He  could  have  hindered  their 
fciliiig,  ns  cafily  as  he  hindered  their  murdering  him. 
JBut  he  di'd  not.     He  let  ihcm  take  their  Courfe. 

4.  Awi) 


SH  the  Termlfioyi  of  Si^^  75* 

4.  And  yet  It  is  fclf-cvidcnt,  God  never  permits 
Sin,  in  the  Charaaer  of  an  unconcerned  Speaator, 
as  not  caring  howAfFairs  go  -,  but  as  having  weighed 
all  Circumftances  and  Coufequences.— Theretore, 

5.  God  never  permits  Sin,  but  only  then,  \vhen»~ 
on  the  whole,  all  'I'hings  confidcred,  he  judges  it 
bert  not  to  hinder  it.     And  therefore,. 

6.  At  whatever  Tirn^  God  forbears  to  interpofc,. 
to  hinder  the  Commiinon  of  any  Ac^  of.  Sin,  he  is 
not  only  juaifiable  in  his  Condufl,  but  even  com- 
mendable and  praife-worthy  ;  becaufe  he  has  chofea 

to  aa  in  the  wifeil  and.  beft  Manner. -But  this 

leads  me, 

II.  To  (hew  the  ^f^l/dom  of  God  in  the  PermhTion 
of  Sin.  And  I  will  in  the  firft  Place  begin  with 
fome  Inftances  that  arc  more  pkin  and  eafy,  and 
afterwards  proceed  to  what  is  more  intricate  and 
difficult. 

id  Instance.     And  to  begin  with  the  Affair  of 

cf  Jcfy^^ There  needs  little  to  be  faid,  to  ihew^ 

the  manifold  Wifdom  of  God  in  it. For  it  does- 

not  appear,that  God  could,  as  Things  were  circum- 
ftan^ed,  have  taken  a  better  Method  for  the  Ad- 
vancement of  Jbfeph  to  be  Governor  over  all  the 
Land  of  Egypt,  than  this.  It  was  a  Metliod  fuited 
to  humble  Jofeph,  and  wean  him  from  the  World^ 
and  bring  him  to  an  entire  Reiigrfcation  to  God,  and 
Dependence  upon,  and  Devotednefs  ta  him  ;  and 
to  prepaye  him  for  fo  high  a  Station,  that  in  it  he 
might  condua  with  ail  Fidelity  ta  Phaxaoh,  And 
Humility, Good.nefs  and  Cendefcenfion  to  aJl  around 
him  ;  to  the  Pionovir  of  the  God  of  Ifrael,  znd  to. 
the  Reputation  of  true  Religion,  in  the  midft  of  a 
People  fmking  down  faji  into  Idolatry  and  Wicked- 
nefer  It  was  a  Method  fuited  to.  give  him  a  high 
Character  in  the  Eyes  of  Pharaoh,  and  in  the  Eyes 
ot  aJi  Egypt  j  as  one  dear  tp  the  ^reat  God,  full  of 

Wifdom 


7<f  T/:e  Wisdom  qf  CoJ 

Wifdom  and  Benevolence,  and    the  fitteft  Man  in 
Egypt  to  be  fo  highly  advanced  and  (o  far  betruQed. 
From   a  poor  Prifoner,   he  rofe  foon  to    fo  high  a.. 
Chara(5tcr,  and  was   fo    highly  efteemed,  as  to  be- 
come a  Father  to  Pharaoh,  and  to  all  F^ypt. 

Nor  docs  it  appear,  that,  as  Things  were  clr- 
cumftanced,  God  could  have  taken  a  better  Method* 
than  this,  to  provide  for  the  Sudenance  of  Jacob's 
Family,  of  the  Egyptians,  and  of  the  Nations 
tiiroughout  the  Land'of  Canaan,  thro'  a  Famine  of 
fcvenYears  Continuance.  It  was  a  Method  fuited  to 
difpofe  Pharaoh,  and  all  Egypt,  to  receive  Jacob's. 
Family  kindly,  and  give  them  a  hearty  Welcome  ; 
as  they  were  the  Kindred  of  Jofeph,  their  great- 
Benefacflor.  It  was  a  Method  fuited  to  humble  Jo- 
f  ph's  Brethren,  and  not  only  to  bring  them  to  Re- 
pentance for  theirSin,  but  to  a  better  Temper  in  gc- 
eral.  And,  as  the  felling  of  Jofeph  liad  been 
.latter  of  fevere  Trial  to  Jacob,  who  verily  thought 
i.im  dead,  a-nd  expe61ed  to  go  down  to  the  Grave 
fjrrowing;  fo,  in  the  LTue,  the  whole  was  fuited 
bundantly  to  efiablilh  him  in  the  Belief  of  the 
Jcing  and  Perfecflions  of  God,  and  of  his  Govern- 
ntnt  of  the  World  ;  and  to  give  him  an  affeding, 
•avifliing  Senfe  of  tlie  Hoiinefs,  Wifdom,  Goodnefs, 
'ower  and  Faithfulncf*  of  the  God  of  Abraham, his 
at  her  ;  and  to  confirm  him  in  the  Expecftation  of 
i Tie  Accompli fh;ment  of  all  God's  Promifcs.  AndJ 
lA  the  mean  Time,  the  Egyptians,  and  ail  the  Na- 
tions inhabiting  the  Land  of  Canaan,  were  provided 
for  with  Food  thro'*a  long  and  fore  Famine,  in  a 
Manner  fuited  to  convince  them  of  the  Vanity  of 
their  Idols,  and  to  bring  them  to  an  liigh  Efteem  of 
theGod  of  the  Hebrews,  to  whofe  kind  Interpofition 
their  whole  Support  was  owing.  And  thus  God  feft 
not  hlmiclf  without  Witncfs,  in  that  dark  and  be- 
riightcd  Age  of  the  World,  when  all  theNatioR-s  were 

Aiikin^ 


p?  the  PermiJfiQ-n  0/  SiiJ,  fy 

finkingfafl-  down  into  Idolatry.  For  the  whole  Af- 
fair of  the  felling  of  Jofeph,  of  the  Condu6t  of  his 
Mirttefs,  of  his  unfhaken  Virtue,  of  his  Imprifon- 
inent,  of  his  interpreting  the  Dreams  of  his  Fc!lo»v- 
prifoners,  of  his  being  bro't  to  Pharaoh'5  Court  and 
interpreting  his  Dreams,  of  his  Advancement,  and 
of  all  his  Conduff  in  that  high  Station,  would 
naturally  be  noifed  abroad,  not  only  through- 
out all  Egypt,  but  alio  thro'  all  thcLand  of  Canian, 
from  wheiKe  they  daily  cams  intoEgypt  forB;ead; 
yea,  the  News  of  thefe  Thir  gs  would  be  apt  to  fly 
far  and  wide  among  all  the  Nations  round  about,  to 
the  Glory  of  the  true  God,  and  to  the  Honour  of  the 
true  Religion,  and  to  the  Condemnation  of  an  idola- 
trous World,  who  had  forfaken  the  Lord  Jehovah, 
and  gone    after  Idols,  that  .could   neither  fee,  nor 

hear,  nor  help. All  which  good  Ends,  and  many 

-more,  God  had  in  View,  V/herefore, 

Although  Jofeph's  Brethren  a6ted  a  very  wick- 
ed, cruel,  God-provoking  Part,  in  felling  their  Bro- 
ther, notwithftanding  all  his  Cries  and  Tears  and 
the  Anguilhof  his  Soul,  v,fith  an  envious,  malicious- 
and  impious  Intention  to  prevent  the  Accortiplifh- 
ment  of  his  divine  Dreams,  fcafHngly  faying  among 
themfelves,  *'  And  then  we  ill  all  Tee  what  will  be- 
come of  his  Dreams  :"  Yet,  at  the  fameTime,thc 
God  of  Abraham  aded  truly  like  himfelf,  a  noble, 
a  ^od-like  Part,  in  letting  them  take  their  Courfe, 
\viph*a  Defign  to  over-rule  it  as  he  did, to  ac€ompiiil\ 
his  Dreams  ;  and  that    in  a   Way  fo  much   to  his 

own  Glory,  and  io  much  to  the  g:enera!  Good . 

And  how  know  we,  but  that  the  infinitely  wife 
Governor  of  the  Univcrfc,  when  he  permitted  An- 
gels and  Man  to  fall,  and  Things  in  the  intelligent 
iJyilem  to  take  fuch  a  Courfe  ns  diey  have,  defigned 
to  r»ver-ru!e  the  Whole  fo  (according  to.  a  Plan 
h^'  then  had  in  View)   as  that  iu  the  lilUc,  God 

ihould 


7^  The  Wisdom  of  Goi 

(hould  be  more  exalted,  and  the  Syftem  more  holy 

aiid  happy, than  if  Sin  andMifery  had  never  entered  ? 

B^:t  to  proceed  to  a 

id.  Instance  of  the  Wifdom  of  God  in  thePer- 

miirion   of  S'm.     Sometime  after   Jofeph's  Death, 

when  the  Children  of  Ifrael  were  greatly  multiplied, 

there  arofe  another  King  m  Egypt,  who  knew  not 

Jofeph,   nor  paid  the  leatt  Regard  to  his  Memory  ; 

who,  to  enrich  himfelf,  attempted  to  bring  the  Ifra- 

clites  into  a  perpetual  Bondage  :    and  to  that  End 

fet  Task- Mafters  over  them,  who  made  them  fervc 

with  Rigour.    And,  obfcrving  how  exceedingly  they 

multiplied,   left  they  fl-Knild  become  too  numerous 

and  potent,  and  get  themfelves  up  out  of  a  Land  in 

which    they  were  fo  abufed,  Pharaoh  ordered  the 

Midwives  to  kill  their  Male  Children.  But  theMid- 

wives  proving  unfaithful   to  his  Injunctions,  belaid 

his  Commands  on  all  his  People  in  general,  to  take 

everyMale  Child,and  caft  them  into  theRiver.f  All 

which  was  inhuman  and  barbarous  tothe  laftDcgrcc, 

As  God  had  provided  for  the  kind  Entertainment 

of  the  Ifraelites  by  the  Means  of  Jofeph,  whom  he 

fent  before  them  ;  fo  he  could  have  provided  for  the 

Continuation  of  their  Tranquillity,  and   reftrained 

Pharaoh  from  this   Tyrannical  Condud  :  But  he 

-chofe  to  bring  all  thefeDiftreiTcs  upon  them,to  wcaa 

them  from  the  Idols    and  Pleafures  of  Egypt,  to 

make  them  mindful  of  the  promifed  Land,  and  to 

■  prepare  them  for  their  approaching;  Deliverance, and 

.-or  their  Wildernefs-Travels.     Therefore  he  wifely 

t  Pharoah  take    his  Courfe.     For  the    Ifraelites 

-^  ere  fo  kindly  received  in  Jofeph's  Day,and  fo  gcn^ 

'illy  provided  for,  tl'.at  they  began  after  a  While 

forget  the  Land   of  Canaan,  and  feel  themfelves 

Home,  and  fall  in  Love  with  the  Cuftoms   arid 

^  .olatries  of  Egypt ;  And  bad  it  not  been  that  Ph?i- 

t  Exod.  I. 


///  the  PermiJJtQn  ^/*  SirT,  7^' 

raoli  attempted  their  SIavery,and  treated  them  with 
fo  great  Severity,  there  would  have  been  Daa^er  oi 
their  forgetting  the  God  of  rheir  Fathers  tota;iy,ar.d 
incorporating  at  length  with  the  Egyptians.  So  that 
they  greatly  needed  thefe  DiftrelTcs,  to  mike  them 
willing  to  leave  Egypt,  and  difcern  the  Goodnefs  of 
God  in  their  Deliverance,  and  to  awaken  tlietn  and 
their  Pofterity  in  Ages  then  to  come,  to  a  Scnfc  of 
their  great  Obligations  to  God,  who  brought  them 
out  of  the  Land  of  Egypt,  and  out  of  thu  irioufe  of 
Bondage.  * 

Besides,  at  the  fame  Time  that  God,  by  th« 
cruel  Tyranny  of  Pharaoh,  was  preparing  the 
-Ifraelites  for  their  Deliverance,  he  alfo  over-ruled 
his  Barbarity  to  give  an  Occafion  of  raifing  them  up 
a  Deliverer.  For  Pharaoh  having  ordered  all  ther 
Male  Children  to  be  caft  into  the  River,  Mofes's 
Mother,  after  having  concealed  him  three  Months^ 
durll  keep  him  no  longer,  and  fo  left  him  in  an  Arlc 
of  Bulrufiics,  at  the  Side  of  the  River,  to  the  Mere/ 
of  the  cruel  Egyptians.     Hore  Pharaoh's  Daughter 

finds  him  —  is  touched  with  CoNipairion relie^res 

the  poor  weeping  Infant. — And  now  Mofcs  is  called 
the  ''  Son  of  Pharaoh's  Daughter,"  and  is  educated 
in  Pharaoh's  Court, and  intruded  in  ilkhe  Learning, 
of  Egypt  ;  and  finally,  complcatly  furniflied  for  ih« 
glorious  Work  defigncd  him.  For  Pharaoh  fcekin_g 
Mofes  his  Life,  he  was  obliged  to  Acs  to  the  Land  ot 
Midian  ;  where,  in  the  folitary  Life  of  a  Shepherd^ 
he  fpent  40  Years,  until  he  became  the  meekelt 
Man  on  Earth.  And  being  thus  endowed  with  an 
extraordinary  Meafure  of  human  Learning  and  oi 
divine  Grace,  God  fends  him  to  deliver  his  Peo- 
ple, who  had  been  groaning  under  their  fore  Bon- 
dage above  an  100  Years.  "  O  the  Depth  of  the 
fCiiowltj.jgc  and  Wifdom  of  God"  I 

H  Tia 

XX     ; 


•So  9ltf  Wisdom  of  Goi 

The  very  Methods,  which  Pharaoh,  in  his  great 
Pohcy,  takes  to  bind  down  the  Hebrews  in  perpetual 
JSlavery,  God  over-rules,  to  prepare  them  for,and  to 
bring  about  their  Deliverance.  And  while  Pharaoh 
is  hurried  on  in  his  Schemes,  by  his  infatiable 
Avarice,  and  indulges  to  barbarous  Cruelty,  God, 
<he  infinitely  wife  Superintendent,  calmly  looks  on, 
and  lets  him  take  iiis  Courfe,  confcious  to  his  own 
Alfnightinefs,  and  having  his  own  glorious  Plan  all 
before  him. — And  how  know  we, but  that  tliis  fame 
infinitely  wife  Being,  who  has  had  the  Government 
cf  the  Univerfe  in  his  Hands  from  the  Beginning, 
had  fome  noble,  God-like Defign  in  View,  when  he" 
firft  permitt-cd  Sin  andMifery  to  enter  into  the  World 
which  he  had  made  ? 
But  to  proceed  to  a 

3d.  Instance  of  the  Wifdom  of  God  in  the  Per- 
milTion   of  Sin. 

Pharaoh,  full  of  a  Senfe  of  his  own  Grcatnefs 
and  Power,  and  of  the  Advantages  which  would 
accrue  to  him  from  theLabours  of  fo  many  Servants, 
no  fooner  perceived  Mofes's  Defign,  but  he  firmly 
refolved  never  Xo  let  Ifrael  go.  And  when  Mof^s 
afiured  him  that  the  (jcd  of  the  Hebrews  had  ap- 
peared to  him,  he  bid  Defiance,  not  only  to  Mofes, 
but  to  his  God.  *"'  1  know  not  the  Lord,  nor  will 
I  let  Ifrael  go."  And  the  more  Mofes  infifted  upon 
their  Relenfe,  the  more  his  Pride  and  Covetoalnefs 
wrought.  For  hisHonour's  fake  he  fcorncd  to  yield  r' 
snd  for  his  liuerefi's  fake  he  many  a  Time  refolve4 
he  never  would. 

For  the  fuprcme  Monarch  of  the  Univerfe,  who 
does  according  to  his  Pleafure  in  the  Arniics  of 
Heaven,  and  among  the  Inhabitants  of  the  Earth, 
had  looked  on  the  bold,  i:the  daring,  the  haugl>|y 
'vVretch,  and  determinedJo  leave  him  to  hisowa, 
iieart,  to  take  his  own  Way^  and  do  as  he  pkafea  i 

fprefecing 


in  the  PermiJJton  of  Si^*  Sr 

forefeeing  juft  how  he  would  condu6t,  and  how  the 
Aifair  would  finally  iflue. 

,  Go>fays  God  to  Moles,  Go  in  to  Pharaoh,  and 
fay,  *'  Thus  faith  the  Lord,  let  liracl  go,  that  they 
may  ferve  me  :  But  I  am  fure,  that  the  King  of 
Egypt  will  not  kt  you  go  :  no,  not  by  a  mighty 
lianJ.  And  I  will  ilretcli  out  my  Hand,  and  Imite 
Egypt  with  air  my  Wonders  whicli  1  will  do  in  the 
Midil  thereof".  AndPharaoIi  iball  know,that  I  am  the 
Lord  :  and  the  Egyptians  fiiail  know,  that  I  am  the 
Lord  :  Yea,  my  Name  (hall  be  declared  through- 
out all  the  Earth.  And  thus  do  I  order  the  Affair, 
that  thou  alfo  mayft  tell  in  the  Ears  of  thy  Son, and 
of  thy  Son's  Son,  whut  Things  I  have  wrought  in 
Eiiypt,  and  my  Signs  that  I  havedcc  amongil  them; 
that  ye  m^y  know,  that  I  am  the   Dord." 

Mos2s  goes,  and  delivers  his  Mefiage  to  Pha- 
raoh, fayiiigs  *'  Thus- fairh  the  Lord  God  of  the 
Hebrews^  Lei  myPeople  go,that  they  may  ferve  me.'^ 

•'  lie  gone  to  your  Burdens",   fays  Pharaoh  to 

the  iTcaclites.  "  And  youMoftSj  do  you  hinder  the 
People  no  longer  frotirdieirLabour.  And  you  Talk- 
A'larters,  give  them  no  Srrav*^.  P'or  they  are  idle  an(i 
wanton,  and  full  of  Notions  :  but  1  will  tame  thef^ 
Hebrews,  and  make  then:!- knov/,  they  had  better 
been  content  where  ihey  were. "-So  tlieTafl:- Makers 
with  Rigour- drive  on  the  Ifraeiites  to  perform  theii- 
impoillbie  Tafks- — ^and  beat  them  for  Non-perfcr- 
mance.  They  cry  to  Pharaoh,  but  cry  in  vain. 
•*  Ye  are  idle,  ye  are  idle,'*  fays  he,  and  full  of' 
Notio  IS.  Be  gone  !  No  Mercy  fhall  be  (hewn  you. 
Lwili  make  you  repent  your  new  Scheme,  before  I 
have  done  wiih  you. — ThusPharaoh  florins,  drives, 
fets  up  himfelf,  hardens  his  Heart,  rcfolved  the/ 
(hall  never  go. 

WriEREUPON  tbc  God  of  Ifracl  "  wrought  h'-j 
*'  Si^ns  in  E?:.vp^  and  his  V/onders  in  tht  Field  of 


«2  Ti^  WiSCOM  of  G^ 

«*  Zoan.  He  turned  their  Rivers  into  Blood  ;  and 
^*  tlieir  FJoods,that  they  could  not  drink.  He  fent 
.**  divers  Sorts  of  Fjies among  them,  which  devoured 
**  them,  and  Frogs  which  dcftroyed  them.  He 
*'  gave  alio  their  Increafe  unto  the  Caterpillar,  and 
«*  ilicir  Labour  unto  the  Locuft.  He  devoured 
•<  their  Vines  with  Hail,  and  their  Sycomore-' 
♦*  'JVees  with  Frofl.  He  gave  up  their  Cattle 
**  alfo  to  the  Hail,  and  iheir  Flocks  to  hot 
♦*  71-iunder- Bolts.  He  caft  upon  them  the  Fierce-" 
^  r.efs  of  his  Anger,  Wrath  and  Indignation,  and 
•*  Trouble, b)  fending  evilArgels  among  them.  Fie 
*'  made  a  Way  to  his  Anger  ;  he  fpared  not  their 
♦*  Soul  from  Death  :  but  gave  their  Life  over  to  the 
*'  Pcnilcnce.  And  fmotc  all  the  Firft-born  in 
**  Egypt  ;  the  chief  of  their  Strength, in  theTaber- 
••  nacles  of  Ham.  But  made  his  own  People  go 
**  forth  like  Sheep.  He  led  them  on  fafely  :  but 
•*  the  Sea  over- whelmed  their  Enemies." 

Pharaoh's  Defign  was,  if  pcflible,  to  prevent 
the  Kgrefs  of  the  Hebrews  ;  that  he  might  keep 
shcm  for  his  Slaves  :  and  that  they,  and  all  the 
World  might  know,  that  he  was  too  potent  and 
>nig1ity  a  Prince  to  be  fubducd  and  conquered  by 
tht  God  of  the  Hebrcv.s,  to  whom  from  the  Begin- 
ning he  had  bid  Defiance. 

God's  Df  figns  were,  by  fcvcrc  and  cruel  Bon- 
ilage^  to  wean  the  Ih  aelitcs  from  Egypt ;  or  at  lead, 
to  force  thcnij  weaned,  or  net,  to  leave  the  Country, 
find  be  gone.  Therefore  he  let  Pharaoh  loofe,  fo 
;mmerciru]ly  to  opprcfs  them.  And  as  for  Pharaoh, 
ri*?dlerhim]Lftuphimfelf,harden'hisHeart,beasftout 
yiid  haughty  as  he  pleafed :  That  as  he  was  defiroys, 
io  he  x*iiig!it  liave  fullOpportunity  to  try  hisStren*;th 
whh  ti:c  God  of  the  Hebrews.  That  in  the  Jfiore, 
He  might  ktiow,  and  the  Egyptians  might  kno^- 

^hek  ^^hame  and  Confufion;  — 'I'ha:  he  v/a?'*-v 


h  the  PemiJJian  of  Si>T.  8^ 

Lord,  the  only  true  and  living  God,  intinitely  Tupc 
riour  to   all   their  Idols.     And    in  the   meanTiir.'^ 
he  defigned  to  give  a  lively  Picture  of  himfelf,  as  r  - 
one   infinitely    too   wife,  great   and  powerful,    f> 
feeble    Mortals  to  contend  with  ;  Refolved   to  vin- 
dicate his  o'vvn  Honour,  at  all  Events  ;  and  revenge 
Affronts  offered  his  Majefty  •,  and   carry  on  his  own 
Defigns  in   Spite   of  all  'Oppcfition.     That     the 
Ifraelitfs  migkt  fee  it,  and  iinow  it  for  their  Good 
That  all  the  Inhabitants  of  Canaan  might  be  ftruc':. 
into  a  Panick  :  and  indeed,  that  his  Name  might  be 
declared  throughout  all  the  Karth.    For  he  intended^ 
that  thcfe  his  mighty  Works  fliould  never  be   for- 
gotten among  Men,  fo  Ion j   as  the  Sun  and  Moon 
fliouIJ  endure. 

Metkinks,  I  behold  Mofcs,  on  the  other  SIdQ 
of  the  Red  Sea,  flandmg  fafc  on  tlie  Shore,  while 
the  Carcafes  of  the  Egyptians,  their  broken  Chr 
riots,  their  drowned  Korfcs,  Part  funk  to  theBottroni, 
and  Part  floatnng  upon  the  Sea,  and  fcattered  alon^ 
the  Coalls. There  He  ftands— He  looks  back- 
He  furveys  the  gracious,  the  dreadful,  the  gloriou? 
Works  of  the  God  of  Abraham,  from  the  Day  h^ 
fav/  the  Burning  Budi  in  the  Wildernefs  of  Hor.eb, 
and  received  his  Commiffion  to  a6l  in  this  grand 
Affair. — Pharaoh's  haughty  Temper,  his  impious, 
covetous,  tyrannical,  deceitful  Condu(5):,  all  rife  clear 

to  his  View The  aftonifh-ng  Works  of  the  Goa 

of  Ifrael,  Flis  righteous  Vengeance  on  his  Foes,  His 
felf-moving   Goodnefs  and  fovereign   Grace  to  the 
Ifraelites,  torn  away  from  their  Idols,  and  delivce.d. 
out  of  the  Houfe  of  Bondage,  all  fill  his  aftoniihed 
Soul  ;  and  the  powerful  Imprelfions  penetrate  the 

Center  of  his  Heart. Helooks  fcrward  too  to  the 

promifed  Canaan,  to  which  the  Almighty  had  riow 
undertaken  to  lead  them,  and  imagines  what  Terror 
\  ^  gf  ciU  thefe  Things  would  fpread  thrcugli 

J 


ti  The  Wisdom  of  Goi 

all  the  Land. InCpled  with  thefeVIewf,  ravifheJ 

>vith  the  G'cwy  of  tlie  God  oF  ifrael,  charmed  witb 
the  MajeAy  and  Beau-ty  of  the  divine  Condu<2,  He 
fpake,  fayirig, 

*'  I  will  (iRg  unto-tlte  Lord,  for  he  hath  tri- 
•*  umphed  glorioufiy  ;  the  Korfe  and'  his  Rider 
•'  hath  he  thrown  into  the  Sea^  Tluc  I>oPv.d  is  my 
•*  Strength  and  Seng,  and  lie  is  become  r.iy  Salva- 
•*  tlon  :  He  is  my  Goi>,  and  1  wal  prepare  him  an 
•'  Habitation  ;  my  Father's  God,  and  I  v/iJl  exalt 

•'  him. Thy  right  Hand,  O  Lorl^,  is  become 

•*  glorious  in  Power  i  thy  eight  Hand,  O  Lord,. 
**  hath  dad.ed  in  Pieces  the  Enemy..  And:  in  the 
'^  Greatnefs  of  thine  Excelleney  thou  haft  over- 
*♦  thrown  them  that  rofe  up  againfl  thee.  Thoi* 
**  fenteft  forth  thy  Wrath, \v,hicli  confumed  them  as^ 
^*  Stubble.— —Who  is  like  unto  tbec^  O  Lord^ 
•'  amongst  the  Gcds  ?-  Wht>^is  like  unto  thee,  glo- 
^'  rious  in  Holinefs,  fearful  in.  Pr.aife*^, doing  Won- 

*♦  ders  ? l^hou-in  thy  Mercy  haft  led  forth  the 

•*  People  which  thou  haft  redeemed. The  Pco- 

*'  pie  Ihall  hear,   and  be  afraid;  Sorrow   fl^all  take 

•'  hold  on  the  Inhabitants  of  Paleftine. All  the 

•*  In]>;^bitants  of  Canaan  fiiall  melt  away.  Fear  and- 
♦*  Dread  fhail  fall  upon  them-  ;  by  theGreatnefs  of 
**  thine  Arm  they  Ihall  be  as  ftill  as  a  Stone  :  till 
•*  thy  People  pais  over,  O  XxjRTJ,    till   the  People 

*'  pais  over,  which  thou    haft  purchafed. The 

**  Lord  ftiall  reign  for  ever  and'  ever.  * 

And  while  Mofes  thus  fang  the  Praifes  of  God^ 
the  fupreuic  Monarch  of  tlie  Univerfe,  and  cele- 
brated his  glorious  Triumph  over  Pharaoh  and  all 
his  Idol-Gods  y  fo  ravished  with  theWifdom,  Gjery 
and  Beauty  of  the  divine  Cond\.i6>,.  as  to  be  even 
more  attached  to  his  Mor.our  and  Intereft  than  ever, 
aod  even  the  better  prepared  to  condu<5t  v^ith  that 

*  ?  £jicd.  XV. 


ift  the  Permtjfion  of  Sfi^  t$ 

fiCTi^y  Fidelity  thra*^  all  rl^e  future  Trials  of  hisLife, 
always  true  to  God,  and  hcarti'y  concerned  to  fee 
theHonour  of  his  great  Name  fecurcd  ;  I  fay,  while 
Mofcs  was  full  of  tb^Ce  divine  Views  and  Tempers 
on  this  grai-id  Occafion,  2»11  Egypt  were  in  profound 
Darkncli  :  and  thefe  Difpcnfations,  fo  bright  and 
glorious  in.  the  View  of  MofJe$»  to  them,  appeared 
gloGfiiy  as  Dea^lv. 

And  if  thefe  Difpenfatiorts  of  divine  Providence, 
vhlch  to  the  Egyptians  appeared  fo  dark,  and  gloo- 
my,, to  Mofes  appeared  fo  full  of  divine  Wifdom^ 
Beauty  and  Glory  ;  how  kjiow  we^but  that  GodV 
whole  Plan  of  Government,  how  dark  foever  it  may 
now  appear  to  a  revolted  Worlds  under  God's  Dif- 
pl«afure,  may  to  Saiiit*  and  Angels,  after  the  gene- 
ral Judgment,  appear  perfe^fl  in  Wifdom,  GJory 
and  Beauty,,  and  be  Matter  of  their  eternal  Delight 
and  Praife.  But  to  proceed, 

4.  To  ether  Inftancei  of  the:  Wifdom  of  God  ii\ 
the  Permiffioniof  Sin.. 

The  Ifraelitesy  having  thus  cfcapcd  the  Hands  of 
Pharaoh;^  ar.d  recovered  their  Liberty,  had  it  beea 
Jcft  to  them  to  direcft  their  March,  and  point  out 
tlieir  future  Fortunes^  they  might  perhaps  have 
thought  it  ben'-,that  being  led  on  dircfily  to  the  Land 
of  Canasn,  they  iliould  by  the  migjity  Power  of  God 
have  been  put  into  an  immedrateFom:ffion,to  be  fol- 
lowed witii  Scenes  of  Feafting,  Joy  and.  Mirth,  ne- 
ver to  be  interrupted; 

But  God,  who  knew  thcirHe::rt»,  ^Ho  knew  hovi^ 
dfeeply  tainted  they  were  with  the  Idolatries  andMan* 
ncrs  of  Egypt,  snd  how  high  a  Reliih  they  had  to 
fcnfual  Pleafures,  might  ealily  forefee  how  all  Senfc 
Crf  the  true  God  would  foon  bs  loft  in  tlve  mid  ft  of 
fuch  Profperity,  and  they  become  no  better  than  the 
ejected  Canaantes.  Bcfides,  he  A»w  that  in  ^Imok 
every  Rcfpcd  tliey  were  as  yet  vinprcpajred  to  enter 
H4  Oit 


^^  Thti  Wisdom  of  Go  J 

V" 

the  prornifed  Land.  And  alfo  he  defignccl  them  for 
our  Enfamples,  and  his  Difpenfations  towards  them 
for  the  Inrtrucflion  of  Mankind  to  the   End  of  the 

World. Wherefore  let  us    attend  to  the  divine 

Conduct,  and  behoJd  the  manifold  Wifdom  of  God. 

He  had  torn  them  away  from  their  Idols,  their 
I,eek»,  their  Onions,  and  theirFlelh-Pots  ;  to  which 
they  were  ftupidly  attached.  He  had  fent  to  them 
by  Mofes,  and  cominanded,  "  that  ihcy  fhould  caft 
"  away  every -Man  the  Abominations  of  his  Eyes, 
^   and  not  defile  themfelves  with  the  Idols  of  Egypt 

any  more  ;  for   that  he,    himfclf,  v/as  the  Lord 

■  their  God.'* But  altho'  the  Thunder  of  divine 

V/rath,  fo  dreadfully  roared  throughout  all  theLand 
of  Egypt  among  the  Egyptians,  and  God  was  now 
in  a  miraculous  iManner  working  their  Deliverance  ; 
yet,  even  now  they  rebelled  againft  the  Lord,  and 
would  not  hearken  unto  him.  *'  They  did  not 
"  every  Man  caft  away  the  Abominations  of  their 
''  Eyes,  neither  did  they  forfake  theldois  of  Egypt.." 
Wherefore  God  faid,  *'  1  will  pour  out  my 
''  Fury  upon  them,  to  accompliHi  mine  Anger 
''  upon  them  in  the  rnidil  of  the  Land  of  Egypt."* 

But 

■  If  when  God  met  with  fuch  infinite  Provocations  at  the 
Hand*  of  the  Hebrews,  he  coald  yet  find  in  his  Heart  to 
profccutc  his  De(ign,and  accomplilh  his  Promife  toAbra- 
hani,  that  to  his  Seed  he  would  give  the  Land  of  Canaan.; 
\re  cannot  have  the  lead  Rcafon  to  doubt,  but  that,  not- 
vithftanding  all  the  prefent  Wickedncfs  of  his  profe/Ting 
People  in  the  World,  whereby  he  is  infinitely  provoked 
to  rcfign  all  Chrillsndom  to  Dcftrut.'lion,  he  will  yet 
profecate  hisDefigns,  and  acconaplifli  all  his  Promifcs-— — 
«•  Give  to  his  Son  the  Heathen  for  hi«  Inheritance,    and 

'  the  utmofl  Parts  of  the  Earth  for  iiis  PofleiHon  ;  and 
bring  every  People,  Nation,  Language  and  Tongue  to 
ferve  him  :  and  Satan  /hall  be  bound,  and  Chrill  fiuU 
icign  on  Earth,  foiaThvurpdlcarj."-— No  Obftacies,  nc 

Pifeouiagc^ 


/;/  the  PermtJJion  cf  Sdh.  87 

Bat  then  God  confidcrcd  what  the  Egyptians 
would  fay  to  fuch  a  Difpenfation  of  Providence,  and 
how  it  would  be  mifintcrpreted  thro'  allNations  and 

Ages "  Wherefore   he  wrought  for   his  great 

♦«  ^Name's  fake,  that  it  might  not  be  polluted  before 
**  the  Heathen,  among  whom  they  were,  and  in 
''  whofe  Sight,  (iod  intended  to  make  himfelf 
*'  known  to  the  Ifraelites,  by  bringing  them  out  of 
»*  the  Land  of  Egypt."  f  And  therefore  inflead  of 
the  De.lruclion  they  defcrved  from  his  Hands  for 
their  ftupid  Attachment  to  the  Egyptian  Abomina- 
tions, Gad  let  loofe  Pharaoh  10  increafe  their  Bur- 
dens, to  make  their  Bondage  abfolutely  intolerable, 
that  he  might    force  them  from  their   Idols,    and 

drive  them  out   of  Egypt. And   to  bring  them 

Itill  more  to  their  Senfes,  Goi  let  Pharaoh  loofc  to 
purfue  them  with  Chariots,  and  Horfe-men,  and  a 
great  Army  ;  and  contrived  that  he  iliould  overtake 
lhem,niut  in  among  theMountains,  unable  to  make 
theirEfcape  ;  that  he  might  have  Opportunity  to  let 
Ifracl  fee  his  mighty  Power,  in  dividmg  the  Sea, and 
make  them  feel  their  Dependance  upon,  and  Ob- 
ligations to  him  :  and  that  having  led  them  thro* 
tlic  Sea,  he  might  have  them  in  a  barren  Wilder- 
nefs,  where  there  was  neither  Bread,  nor  Fleih,  nor 
Water,  as  the  fiiteft  Scene  for  thofe  Tranfadions 
and  grand  Events,  belonging  to  the  intinitely  wife 
Plan,  which  God  had  laid  out.  Israel 

■  Difcouragem^nts,  no  ProrocdtionS,  no  Dil!icuhlc8,  of 
whatever  Kind,  or  however  great,  can  hinder  God  fconj 
thcAcconiplifliment  of  the  gloriousDefigns  ofhisGracc. — 
He  r«dcemed  ifrael  out  of  Rgypt,  altho'  he  faw  what 
Th?y  were  ihcn,  and  what  tht*y  would  be  in  all  future 
Timeg. — Yca,  he  has  given  his  Son,  tnd  that  to  t^c 
Death  of  the'Crofs,  in  order  to  carry  on  his  Ddigns.^— 

And  what  will  not  God  Almighty  then  <^o  ? Al- 

>uGHTiNESs,  fo  INFINITELY  engaged,  cannot, and  will 
.  ct  b?  frufrratcd.  \  Ezck.  XX.  f,— 9. 


^^>  The  Wisdom  of  Goa 

IsRAFL  had  been  In  Egypt  115  Years.*  And  the 
latter  Part  ot  theTimt/or  above  ?.n  IkiKlredYtar?, 
in  a  State  of  Bonda»;e  &  Slavery. — TJiey  had  ainioil 
furgcttcn  the  true  God,  and  the  wwi  Relij^ion,  were 
habituated  to  the  Idohitryand  Manners  "of  Egvpt, 
well  pleafed  with  the  Country  ;  and;  but  forTheic. 
Oppreffionsywculd  never  have  entert?ined  anyTho't? > 
of  leaving  it.     Yea,    notwlthfLancing  tluir   fevere 
^  Bondage,  v^ere  hirdly  prevailed  upon  to  licarken  to 
,  Mofcs,  to  whom  they  faid,  ''  Let  us  alone,  thatws 
;  may  fcrve   the  Egyptians,"  as    they  i;frei  wards   up- 
braided him  in  their  Dilireis  at  theRc(i-.Sca.-f-rAnd 
they  were  of  fo  mean  and  daftardlya  S^)l!it,  as  to  be 

i  unfit  to  march  againfl- their  Enemies.- God.wlior^ 

!  knew  their  Temper,  j'u%ed,thut  if  he  h^d  \t^  them. 
i  from  Egypt  ftrait  to  Cai.jan,  which  was  not  an 
^  hundred  Miks  ihTtant,  the  Approach  of  their  Ene- 
\  Di'ics,  prepared  (or  War,  vvouid  have  irighrci  thnr* 
^ack  again  to  Egypt.t— Yea,  mch  was  thtir  Attach- 
ment 

'*  From  the  Covenant  with  Abnra,  to  the  nlvJng  of  rlij 
L,aw,  was  (a»St.  Paul  afTcrts,  Gal.  III.  17.)  450  Years. 
And  this  will  gtvft  Light   to  Gen.  XV.  13.  and  to  Exod. 

J:      XII.  40,  41.  For  thcLa*.v  was  giyeafcon  after  thcycamf 

il     out  of  Egypt. 

I  Joseph  was  17  Years  old,  when  he  was  fold,  and  it  \% 
^^::ppofcd  he  was  foon  iKiprifontd.  perhaps  the  very  fame 
Year,  and  {fi  that  he  lay  in  Prifon  ai>out  13  Ye?.rs  ;  for 
■.e  was  30  at  his  Advancc^icrtt.  After  which,  io  ubout  9. 
i'ears,  Jacob  and.all  his  Family  eanic  down  into  Egypt. 
After  wh'ch,  Jofcph  lived  71  Years.  And  fo  in  ail,  was 
sn  the  grcateit  Honour  8o- Years,   to  counterbalance    13 

Years  of  Sorrow. ifraeleame  out  of  Rr^pt  r44Years 

\ftcr  Jofeph's  Death  ;  the  greateft  Part  of  whichyTimcr 
ihey  were  under  OpprclTian. — Mofes  was  born  64  Years 
dfter  Jofeph's  Death  —fpent  40  ia  Pharaoii's  CoRrt—and 
40  in  the  Land  of  Midian. 
t  EioJ.XIV.  12.         t  Exo4.  XIII.  »:. 


4n  the  TermiJJivi  of  Si}^,  ■  %^ 

jnent  to  Egypt,  their  CoIdnefstoCanaan,  theirCow- 
ardice,  and  their  Ihipid  lnlidelity,evcn  after  aYcar*s 
Difciphne  in  the  Wildernefs,  and  nocwithllinding 
their  folemn  ProfelF:oii  and  Promiles  to  God  at 
Mount  t'inai,  that  upon  the  ill  Tidings  of  theSpies, 
they  were  for  rtoning  Caleb  and  Jolhua,  ac  i  mak- 
ing to  thcmfelves  a  Captain,  and  returning  to  their 
beloved  Egypt. 

Now  fuch  were  the  People  God  had  to  manage, 
fo  every  Way  diftempered,  that  they  needed  all  their 
old  Notions, Taftes  and',Tempers  \o  be  eradicated  j 
and  to  have  their  Minds  wholly  framed  a-new,  in 
order  to  befit  Inhabitant!  for  the  holy  Land. 

They  muft  be  tlioroughly  weaned  from  Egvpt, 
from  their  Idolatry  and  theirManners  ;  and  be  bro't 
to  know  the  true  God,  and  to  be  fcnfible  of  his  infi- 
nite Abhorrence  of  their  Tempers  and  Ways  ;  and 
have  their  Hearts  effecflualiy  broken  under  a  Scnfc 
of  theirVilenefs  :  that  they  might  loath  thcmfelves, 
and  turn  to  theLord,and  love  hun,  and  be  prepared 
to  undcrfiand  and  fall  in  with  the  Religion  he  gav€ 
them  from  Mount  Sinai, that  they  might  be  an  holy 
People  to  the  Lord,  a  Kingdom  of  Priefts,  and 
an  holy  Nation  ;  that  they  might  be  to  his  Praife 
and  Glory,  in  the  midft  of  an  idolatrous  benighted 
World  ;  and  tlirt  they  might  receive  the  promifed 
Land,  not  as  a  iCev/ard  of  their  Righteoufnefs, — tor 
they  were  a  fiiff-necked  People  ;  but  as  a  mere  free 
Gift  from  the  God  of  Abraham,  their  Father;  and 
fed  themfelvesjby  the  Means,  laid  under  the  firong- 
eft  Obligations  to  love  hitn,  and  fear  him,  and  wajk 
'ii  all  his  Ways,  and  ket-p  ull  his  Commands  :  And 
- 1  the  fame  Time,  be  fo  inured  to  .Harclfi-iip,  and  fo 
rhoro'ly  confirmed  in  the  lieli^f  of  the  ijeing  and 
Perfections  of  God, as  that,  in  an  entire  D'ependance 
;n  the  Lord,  they  miglu  marcl;  into  tht  promifed 
L;jnd,  aud  behave  Jikc  valiant  Soldiers,  and  execute 

God's 


§<0  Vn^e  Wisdom  of  God 

God's  Vengeance  on  thofe  idolatrous  Nations,w]iom 
he  had  doomed  to  Deftrudion  -,  break  down  their 
Altars,  cut  down  their  Groves,  burn  theicGods, 
and  extirpate  both  them  and  their  Religion  from  off 
the  Face  ot  the  Earth. 

And  what  Method,  better  fuitcd  to  anfwer  thcfe 
noble  Ends,  could  pofTibly  have  been  devifed,  than 
that  which  the  Lord  their  God  took,  for  the  Space 
of  forty  Years  in  theWildernefs  :  Wherein  he  hum- 
bled them,  and  proved  them,  and  tried  them,  that 
it  might  appear  what  was  in  their  Hearts  :  £<id  he 
left  them  to  hunger  and  to  third,  and  to  murmur 
find  rebel,  and  to  commit  Idolatry,that  their  Hearts 
might  be  turned  infide  out  before  their  Eyes  :  anU 
by  a  longCourfe  of  Difcipline^he  trained  them  up  to 
a  Senfe  of  his  Being,  and  Perfc(5tions,  and  Govern- 
ment, and  to  feel  their  Dependance  on  him,  and 
Obligations  to  him,  and  by  Experience  learn  the 
dreadful  Nature  of  Sin.  He  fed  them  with  Angels 
Food,  and  gave  them  Water  out  of  the  flintyRock: 
he  led  them  by  Day  in  a  Cloud,  and  in  -the  Night 
by  a  Pillar  of  Fire  :  but  when  they  rebelled,  the 
Earth  opened  its  Mouth,  arid  fwallowed  up  Hun- 
dreds, and  the  Plague  fwept  away  Thoufands  at  a 
Stroke  ;  yea,  at  laft,  the  whole  Congregation  of  Six 
Hundred  Thoufand  were  doomed  to  fall  in  theWil- 
dernefs. 

Nothing  impreHes  the  Heart  of  a  human  Crea- 
ture like  Facts.  Nor  could  any  Series  of  Fas^s 
have  been  better  contrived  than  thefc,to  reach  their 
Hearts,  and  make  them  feel  what  they  were  in  the 
Sight  of  infinite  Hohnefs,  and  to  bring  them  to  fear 
Ihe  glorious  and  fcarfulName  of  thcLord  rhcirGod. 

At  the  Side  of  the  Red-Sea,  they  were,  to  Ap-^ 
pearance,  full  of  Love  to  God,  and  there  they  fang 
his  Praife  :  And  had  Things  gone  to  their  Minds, 
they  might  never  havefufpecfted  the  fecrctHypocrify 


In  tic  PcrmijTion  ^/ SiK»  9^ 

of  theirHearts. — But  asGod  had  contrived  thePJan, 
in  three  Days  their  religious  Affedions  were  gone, 
and  their  corrupt  Hearts,  like  the  troubled  Sea,  caft 
up  Mire  and  Dirt.— ^God  knew  what  they  were  be- 
fore :  and  it  was  wife  in  him,  to  take  this  Method^ 
to  brin^  them  to  kiiow  it  too. 

At  MoitntSinai,thcy  were  again  deeply  affedted, 
when  the  Law  was  given,  in  aManner  fo  folcmn  and 
divine  :  and  there  they  proniifed,that  wharlbever  the- 
Lord  their  God  fliould  command  them,  tl?at  would 
they  do.--^— Butin  lefs  than  forty  Days,  they  madj 
them  a  Call" after  the  Mannerof  Egypt,  ;:nd  eat  and 
drank,and  rofc  up  toPJay, after  thcL^yptranMode.-^ 
God  knew  before,  that  all  this  was  in  their  Hearts  : 
and  now  he  wifely  permitted  it  to  break  out,  that, 
they  might  know  it  too  :  and  that  he  might  have  * 
good  Opportunity  to  let  them  fee  how  exceedinglv 

he  hated  their  Ways. -He  liad  tried  Words,  but 

thcfe  would  not  do.  He  had  u-fcd  the  plain^ft  and. 
ftrongeft  Expreffions  in  the  firft  and  fecond  Com- 
mandments, but  they  were  not  effeeluah — Now  he 
proceeds  to  Pacts — ThreeThoufand  are  llain  bytha* 
.Sword  at  his  Command,  to  let  the  whole  Congrega-^ 
tion  KNOW  hov;  deteiUbJe  their  Condud  was  in  his 
Eyes.  * 

And  fo  again,  wliile  the  Tabernacle  was  build -» 
ing,  and  at  the  Time  of  its  Dedication,  they  ap« 
peared  very  forward  in  Religion,  as  tho'  they  loved 
God,  and  iovfd  his  Worlliip,  and  were  determined 
for  the  future  to  be  an  obedient  People  :  And 


h;=: 


tni 
lad  for  about  a  Year.    And  doubtleYs  they  though' 
^f Ives  fincere,  and  always  might  Have  thdu^h 

no  new  Trials  come  on. B-jt-no  foor.c. 

i.s  return  from  viewing  theLarid  of  Ca- 
bring  ill  Tiding?,  but  their  c'd  F/';y;7tin.n 
.f  ail  revived. Xqw  Joiiiu, 

xod.  XXXII.  2%. 


2  The  Wisdom  of  Csd 

jufl-  be  Hcncd  for  pleading  the  Lord's  Ca life,  and  a 

jw  Captain  chofen  to  condudl  them  back  to  Egypt, 

hich  they  left  with  Reludtance  about  a  Year  ago  : 

lUing,   itfecms,   forever  to  part  with  their  God, 

air  i^ibernacle,an<i  their  Religion  ;  and  turn  back. 

)  the  Idols,  and  Minners,  aad  Leeks,  and  Onions 

:  Eaypt  ',  and  make  their  Peace  with  the  Egyptians 

s  they  could.  And  had  not  the  ALMIGHTY  fud- 

■enly  intcrpofed,   no  doubt,    dreadful  Deeds  would 

on  have  been  done.— God   knew,  all   this  was  m 

>cir  Hearts  before  :  and  now   he  wifely  pcnnitted 

to   break  put,  that  they  might  know  it  too  :  and 

\\2X  by  his  future  Condu<5l  toward  that  Pcopl&yiie 

ight  let  them  know  that  he  was  the  Lord,  and  fill 

-he  whole  Earth  with  his  Glory.  * 

And  while  that  Generation  was  doomed  to  wan- 

crForty Years  in  theWildernefs,and  their  Carcafcs 

:ere  to  fall,  as  the  jull  Punifliment  of  theii  Crimes  ; 

leir   Poflerity,   bythe   Means,  had  their  Egyptian 

otions  and  Tempers  eradicated,  and  were  trained 

;)  in  the  Knowledge  of  God,   and  of  the  true  Rcii- 

on  ;  and   prepared  to  enter,  conquer, .and   poflefs 

s  holy  Land.     Nor  could  they  ever,  to  their  flying 

)ay,    forget  the  Works  of  the    Lord  their   God, 

'hich  they  had  feen  inEgypt,at  the  Red  Sea,  in  the 

'/ildernels,  &c.  Nor  could  they  have  had  fironger 

ducements  to  tell    thefe    Thing*  to  their  Sons, 

:id  Sons  Sons.     Nor  could  a  better  Method  have 

been    taken  to  lay  a  lafling  Foundation  for  a  firm 

Belief,  and  fteady  Pradice  of  the  true  Religion. 

It  was  moft  for  the  Honour  of  God,  and  moft 
for  the  Intereft  of  Religion  ;  and  fo  really  for  the 
beft  Good  of  the  Ifraelites,that  they  fliouid  be  thus 
*ried,lcft  to  aft  out  theirHearts,  and  then  puniflied, 
abdued,humb]ed&  bro't  into  Subjeftion  to  the  divine 
Authority,  before  they  entered  into  Pofl^fTton- ot  the 

proHiifcd 
l  KaiU.  XIV. 


/;/  ths  Per?nijjicii  $f  Sii*i.  J3 

promifed  Lsnd  ;  altho' it   coft  them   Six  Hundred 

Tiiouiand   Lives,  and  many  a    dreadful    Day. •- 

For,  to  what  Purpofe  liad  it  been,  for  God  to  have 
brought  them  ftraight  frcm  Egypt,  with  all  their 
Egyptian  Notions  and  Tempers,  into  the  holy  Land, 
there  to  have  polluted  it,  and  to  have  difiionoured 
him  with  their  Abominations  ?"* 

Besides,  from  thcMurmurrngs  andRebellicns  of 
thcIlVaelitcs  in  the  Wiidernefs,  there  was  the  fulleft 
Demonftration  of  theDivinity  of  the  jewifli  Religion. 
For,  iiad  notMoJes  been  fent  of  God,  and  fupported 
too  by  the  Interpdhtion  of  Almighty  Power, it  had 
been   impolfible    he  fhculdhave  accomplid-ied  the 

Dciign, -ThegiR  would  fureJy   have  deferred  him, 

aiul   returned   to   Kgypt  ag^iin. Nor   could  :'   ^ 

Ch  Idren  of  lfrad,how  degener^e  foeverthey  wer  , 
?i\d  how-  apt  foever  to  fall  irtto  Idolatry,  in  afrer- 
A'^es^  ever  once  fcruple  v;hether  Mofes  were  indeed 
fent  of  God, after  fuch  a  Scene  of  Wonders  for  forty 
Years  togetlier.  Nor  does  it  appear^  that  the  divir/G 
Legation  of  Mofcs  was  ever  called  in  C^iel^ton  by 
that  People. 

I  2  An  ) 

*  If  it  WIS  wife  in  God  fo  toordQr,tIiat  ihc  Ifisclltes  i\wi^}fX 
be  opprciTcd  above  an  hundred    Years  before  ilicrr  D(^fi«. 
verancc,  and  then  pafs  thro'  fuch  gvjiX  T^Trjis  ferry  Years 
more,  before   iheir  Entrance    into  the  holy  LiMj  hOfV 
know  wc  but  it  may  be  v/ife,  that  ilie  Chriflii^Chur^h 
in  general, and  we  inNew-Engldlid  in  prticular.fhcu.'d  y 
thro'  very  dark,  and  trying  'limca.  for  a  Jong  Sci^fon,   I 
fore  God  begins  to  work  Deliverance,  in  th.u  rcnwrka- 
Manner,  wliich  may  be  expcfled  at  the  ulherin^  in  of 
glorious  Days.   To  befure,there  feems  to  lie^FoundSif 
laid  for  great  Difhc/Tea,  and  of  long  rcmriniiancj^,  for  c. 
fiitful  Land.      Better  fo,  than  to  b«  left  to  Il-'epon,iic'.  :  . 
iri  Sin.      Nothing  fo  dreadful,  as    to  be  given  uj»   to  c^;  ■ 
Kai  Security,  an"3  fuffcred  to  go  ou  ia  Wicjwcdiicfs  asd 


^A  The  Wisdom  cf  Cod 

And  ^^■!•;cncver  ihcy  read  over  the  Law  of  Mofes, 
together  wiih  the  Hlfiory  inteirpcrrcd  intliofe  facred 
•ooks,  they  iniglu  not  only  Jearn  the  Nature  of 
}o<l  and  Man,  ami  lee  God's  Right  to  command, 
!:eirOb)ioations  to  obey,  and  llie  great  Evil  of  Sin, 
;  om  tlic  Law  of  MofcSjas  being  therein  held  forth  ; 
Mit   might  behold  all  ihele  excmplihed,  in   a  moft 

.'riking  Manner,  in  a  Series  of  Facts. Let  them 

ut  view  the  divine  Conduct  in  Egypt,  at  the  Red- 
ije2,  in  the  WDdernefs,  &c.  and  it  would  iiive 
;liem  a  moil  lively  Piclure  of  the  the  Divine  Na- 
cre :  for  here  they  had  the  jfi  I  STORY  of  the 
'Deity, -^ — And  let  them  view^he  Conduct  of  the 
Jfraelites,  from  iirll  to    la{>,  and^would  give  them 

-  moA  livjly  Pi(51ure  of  human  Nature  :  for  here 
'ley  had  it  aiflcd^  cut  to  the  Life. — And  God's 
■lisht  to  commani^  their  Obligations  to  obey,  and 
'le  great  Evd   cf  Stn  are  ftt  iri  the  firongcft  Lighl. 

—  Nor  were  the  A^dvantages  of  thefe  Tranfac^^ioni 
onfined  to  thofe  Ages  :  for  all  thcfe  Things  hap- 
pened and  were  written  for  our  Inilru6\ion,on  whom 
the  Ends  of  the  World  are  come.     God  is  ft  ill  the 

ane  :    and    fo    is*}iuirian   Nature   too.      For  as 
'ace   anfwers   to   Face  in   a  Glafs,    fo    does    tl;e 

:ieart   of  Man    to    Man. O   the  Depth  of  the 

•Vifdom  and  Knowledge  of  God  !  Of  whom,  and 
y  whom,  and  to  whom  are  all  Things  ;  to  whom 
clongs  Glory  for  ever  !•« — And  how  know  we  but 
hat  tiie  grand  Afiairs  of  the  Univerfe  are  all  con- 
!u61cd  as  wifely,  as  were  thefe  now  in  our  View. 

To  Conclude,  let  thcfe  four  Remarks  be  ^-ell 
attended  to,  and  remembred. 

I.  That  in  all  thefe  Inftances  of  God's  per- 
vr/itting  Sin,  he  had  a  View  to  the  Manifeftation  of 
^^imfelf.  Tiiey  gave  him  Opportuaitles  to  a6l  out 
iiis  Heart  ;  and'fo  to  nie\M/what  he  was,  and  '-""^ 
lie  ftood  ailcacd :  and  he  intended  by  hisC. 


in  the  Pemijpon  of  Sv<^.  95 

to  fct  hlmfelf,  i.  e.  all  hisPerfcaicns,  in  a  fuiI,  clear, 
ftrong  Point  of  Light :  that  it  might  be  known  that 
he  was  the  Lord^  and  that  the  whole  Eanh  might 
tj  filled  with  his  Glory. 

2.  And  he  intended  to  let  his  Creatures  give  a 
true  Specimen  of  themfelves  :  that  it  might  bo 
known  what  was  in  their  Hearts.  But 

3.  The  Advantages  of  Acquaintance  wit!i  God 

and  ourrelves  are  innumerable. We  can  bene: 

ther  humble,    holy,  nor  happy  without  it. b^j 

that 

4.  It  may  ea(ify  be  feen,  how  that  God  in  the 
PermifTion  of  Sin*  may  defign  to  r.dvance  his   own 

(jlory,  and  the  Xjood   of  his  Creatures. Aiv.l 

that  this  was  really  God's  Defign,  in  the  InlUnc;;^ 
which  have  bcafl  under  Confideraiion,  is  manifcil 
from  the  five  BEIcs  of  Mofes,|li  vvhich  the  Hillor' 

of  thefc  Thing*  is    recorded  ^t  large. -Partic  .  • 

larly,  I  der4re  tli^VIIIth,  IXth,  Xth,  &  Xlth  Cha.  ^ 
ters  of  Deuteronomy  may  be  read  in  this  V^iew. 


#  #4^:^iJ######:^X##vi^^##^4^#^-? 


#^^»  #*##^###'  :*^####^^af#^ 


I3        SERMON 


(     9<J    ) 


The  Wisdom  of  God 

in  the  Permiflion  of  Sin. 

s  E  R  M  o  xsr,  ir. 

GeniESIS       L.       2*i 

-^—TE  thought  Evil  again/}  Me  ;    /vv/  God 
vteant  it  unto  Good— 

WISDOM  cc-nfifts  in  clioofing  tlie  beft  End, . 
and  contriving  the  moil  proper  Mcatis  to 
attain  it. 
Th2  Mfssiah  had  been  promifcd  to  our  firft 
Jr'arents,  about  Two  Thoufand  Years  ago  ;  and  the 
appointed  Time  of  his  Advent  was  approaching  : 
Bvit  the  World  were  greatly  imprcpared  for  luch  an 
£vcnt.  They  did  not  know,  that  they  were  in  a  fal- 
len State,  and  that  they  needed  a  Redeemer  and  a 
^3n<5\ifier.  They  neither  knew  God,  nor  thcmfelycs 

what  ihcy  were — nor  wliat  they  ought  to  be  ■ 
Tor  what  they  neeJcd  to  biing  them  right:  and 
were  finking  by  fwift  Degrees  into  Hill  grofier  Igno- 
lance,  and  the  moft  fi upid  Idolatry.  And  had  God 
fuffercd  them  all  to  have  taken  their  own  Courie, 
uil  the  Messiah's  Binh,  Ignounce  and  De|iravify. 

v^ouTa' 


The  Wisdom  #/  God^  Sec.  p7 

would  have  rifen  to  fuch  a  Height,  as  to  have  >en«> 
dcred  iMankind  wholly  unprepared  for  the  Gof^^el- 
Dirpenfation. 

Wherefore  God  muft  interpofe,  and  fome  Me- 
thod mui^  be  taken  to  check  the  univcrfal  Spread  ot 
Idolatry  and  Ignorance,  and  to  revive  the  Know 
Jcdgeof  the  true  God,  and  of  the  Law  of  Nature  -, 
and  to  make  Mankind  fenfible  of  their  Depravity,  ot 
their  Guilt  and  111- defert,  and  Need  of  a  Rcdeemei' 
and  Sandtitier  ;  and  fo  prepare  the  Way  for  the- 
Coining  of  Chrifl,  and  the  Ercdiion  of  his  fpiritual 
Kinc:dom. 

VViTH  thcfc  Views,  about  two  Thoufand  Years 
before  the  Birth  of  the  Messiah,  God  calledAbrani 
from  Urof  rheChaldecs,  :nj  feparated  him  from  aa 
idolatrous  World,  and  choie  his  Seed  to  be  hisPeo- 
ple  ;  that  in  his  Dealings  with  them,  he  might  bear 
a  publick  TciHmony  againfl  Idolatry,  in  the  Sight 
ot  all  the  Nations  of  the  Earth  ;  and  at  the  fame 
Time  exhibit  a  molt  cxafl  Pifture  of  himfeif  in  his 
Condudl,  and  fet  his  Chara<5ler  in  the  moft  glaring, 
ftriking,  affecfmg  Light  ;  that,  ftupid  as  they  were, 
they  Ihould  be,  as  it  were,  forced  to  fee  and  under- 
hand what  he  was.  And,  at  the  fame  Time,  he 
would  let  them  know,  what  they  ought  to  be,  and- 
the  Greatnefs  of  thcirObligations  to  the  Deify  j  and 
turn  theirHearts  infide  out, that  they  might  fee  thei»:- 
felves,  and  difcern  their  true  Charader,.  and  lo  feel 
their  Need  ©fa  Redeemer  and  Sani^itier.  And  then 
lie  would  exhibit  in  Types  and  Shadows,  i.  e-bySa- 
cntices  of  Atoncmcnt,and  Purifications- forUnclean- 
nefs,  the  Narure  of  the  Atonement  or  Cl^rift,  and 
of  the  fantftifyi-ng  InHaences  of  the  ho'ySpirit.  And 
thus  prepare  iheWay  for  thcComii^i  of  thciVitniiii, 
.lU)d-. the  Erection  of  his  fpir;  .il  '''iiirdf.m  jn  the 
W'tjrld.:  andthatnot  on))  a-rj^^ng  ^  ^.  thus  train- 
ed gp.,  bsit  ^Uq  among  Gentuc&i  .vrhjj^  .ii  aflci  A  t  s, 

-~  1  4.  lliQuid 


...  .       ^  f 

98  The  Wisdom  of  God 

fhotiid  be  let  into  thefe  divine  Difpenfations  and 
Defjgns,  and  reap  the  Benefit  of  all  thefe  prepara- 
tory and  introdudory  Steps. 

Had  Jofepknot  been  fold,  and  had  Jacob  conti- 
nued tcWive  in  the  Land  of  Canaan,\vith  hisFamily, 
:;nd  had  his  Pofterity  there  gradually  increafed, until 
they  had  tilled  al)  the  Land  fthe  Canaanites  mean 
vhile  dying  ofF,  as  the  Indians  have  done  in  N.  E. 
thefe  130  Years  paft)  I  fay,  had  his  Pofterity  gra- 
dually increafed  until  they  had  filled  all  the  Land, 
without  any  uncommon  Changes,  or  any  extraordi- 
nary Interpofitions  of  Providence,  none  of  the  fore- 
mentioned  Ends  could  have  been  anfwered.  Yea, 
there  would  apparently  have  been  the  utmoft  Dan- 
ger, that  the  Ifraelites  would  have  been  no  better 
than  the  Canaanites  had  been  :  and  God  might  fore- 
fee,  that  this  vi'ould  infallibly  be  the  Cafe  ;  and  fo 
all  his  Ends  in  feparatlng  Abraham  and  his  Seed 
wholly  fruftrated. 

On  the  other  Hand,  if  Jofeph  is  fold  ;  if  Jacob 
and  his  Family  move  down  and  fettle  in  Egypt,  the 
chief  Scat  of  Idolatry  ;  a  proper  Scene  opens  in  the 
View  of  infinite  Wifdom,  where  all  his  Wonders 
might  be  wrought  :  and  fit  Opportunities,  he  fore- 
faw,  would  prelent,  for  the  Accomplifhmcnt  of  all 
the  Purpofes  of  his  Heart.  / 

Nothing    further   was   needful,   than  for  God      « 
not  to  hinder  Jofeph's  Brethren,  and  they  would  fell      | 
him— Not  to  hinder  Potiphar'sWife,  and  fhe  would      | 
get  him  caft  intoPrifon  j  where  he  might  be  prepar-      ; 
cd  for,  and  from  whence  he  might  be  raifed  to,  the 
higheft  Advancement,   by  which    many  noble  and 
God-likeEnds  might  be  a.ifwered. Nothing  fur- 
ther was   needful,  than   for  God  not  to  hinder  the 
King  of  Egypt,  and  he  would  opprefs   the  Ilraeiites, 
till  they  were  prepared  for  their  Egrcflion. — Not  to 
hinder  Pharaoh,  and  he  would  harden   hi$  Heart, 


in  the  PermiJJlon  ^/*!5iN.  ^^ 

Snd  refufc  to  let  them  go,  until  Egypt  was  filled 
with  the  wonderful  Works  of  God. — Yea,  if  God 
hindered  him  not,  into  the  Red-Sea  he  would  drive 
head- long,  hurried  on  by  ilie  Corruptions  of  his 
Heart;  that,  in  his  Dei^rucftion,  God  mig;ht  fliew 
liis  Power,  and  caufe  his  Name  to  be  declared  thr6- 

out  all  the  Earth. And  now  the  Hebrews,  rcfcu- 

ed  tVom  Pliaraoh's  deilroving  Sword  by  almiah' v 
Power,  would  be  in  the  Hands  of  God  their  Deli- 
verer, to  be  difciplined,  to  be  humbled  and  proved 
and  tried,  that  it  might  be  known  whatwasin  their 
Hearts  ;  and  that,  finally,  they  might  be  prepared 
to  enter  t'he  promifed  Land,  and  execute  the  Ven- 
geance of  the  Almighty  on  thofe  idolatrous Nati 
ens  ;  and  be  Gjd's  peculiar  People,till  the  Messi- 
ah's Coming,and  the  Erc(5lion  of  lils  fpiritualKinj.;!;- 
dom. — I  fay,  be  God's  peculiar  People,  to  receive 
the  Law  from  Sinai,  to  be  under  God's  immediate 
Government,  to  keep  the  holy  Oracles,  to  preferve 
the  Predications  of  the  MeiTiah,  and  to  anfwer  ip.any 
other  noble  and  divine  Ends  God  had  in  View. 

A  Plan,  in  which  fo  much  Sin  was  to  ht  per- 
mitted, and  fo  much  Tvlifer]!^  endured,  might,  by 
fliort' lighted  Mortal*,  have  been  thoueht  dilhoiiour- 
able  to  God,  and  unhappy  for  the  liVaelites  ;  bii.. 
undt-r  the  Management  of  infinite  Wifdom,  it 
proves  the  diredl  contrary.  Yea,  for  aught  that 
appears, God  could  not  have  taken  a  better  MetlK:.-!, 
as  Things  then  fVood  in  the  World,  to  'm.ake  him- 
felf  known,  and  get  Honour  to  his  great  Name,  and 
inake  the  Ifra^lites  fenfible  of  their  Dcpendance 
-upon   him,   and   Oblir^ations  to  hirn,   and  engage 

'em  to  perpetual  Obedience,  than  that.     As  it   is 
ritten,  "  What  could   have  been  done  more  to 
my  Vineyard,  that  I  have  not  done  in  it  ?" 
Yea,  It  was  a  Plan  not  only  fuited  to  be  bene- 

liCiaHn  that  Age  j  but  in  all  fucceedin^Geneiations: 

and 


?oo  %he  Wisdom  cf  God 

and  that  in  more  InHsnces  than  can  well  be  enu- 
merated. Particularly,  it  has  furnilhed  us  with  a 
History  of  the  Deity,  and  with  a  History  of 
HITMAN  Natuk2  :  Such  aHlilory  as  is  indeed  of 
jnfinire  Value.  For  every  Thing  is  exemplified  in 
-ACTS,  by  which,  the 'Mind  Is  infiructcd  moKe 
■::e3rly,  and  the  Heart  reached  more  cffcdually, 
than  in  any  other  VVay. 

The  in^ilible  God,  whom  no  Eye  hath  fccn,  or 

can  fee,  and  of  whom    it  is   fo    drHwi-lt  for  us 'in 

thi3  benighted  World    to  frame  jull  Conceptions, 

^3  brouglir  upomhe  Stage  ;  and  he  a^Trs  out  his  Na- 

ure  before  our  Eyrs,  with  a  Defign  to  let  histiue 

Character  in  a    clear  and   flrik-ing  Li£:ht. -Here 

ve ,  fee,  as  it  were  with  our  Eye^,  how  he  fore- 
ordairied  whatfoever  came  to  pal-s  ;  how  he  laid  out 
the  whole  Pjan,  from  the  felling  of  Jofeph  to  \\\b 
Advancement,  and  to  Jacob's  going  down  into 
Egypt  i  and  how  they  Pnould  be  opprctTed  and  bro't 
;iito  Bondp^e,  and  how  they  (liould  tinaliy  be 
•I'ought  forth,  and  led  in  the  Wildernefs,  and  pr«- 
i  ar^d  ioY  Canaan,  &c.  And  we  fee  tixe  Wifdom, 

vjlory  and  Beauty  oijffk  Plan, Here  we  fee  v^hat 

J.  Reg  aril  he  has  for  nis  own  Honour,  and  how  his 
whole  Plan  is  fuited  to  fet  him  in  that  intinitely  ho- 
nourable Point  of  Light,  which  fo  exaclly  becomes 
iVim,  as  he  is  by  Narure  God,  and  by  original  Right 
ilie  fupreme  Lord  2nd  Governor  of  the  World. — 
ijere  we  fee  hia -Refolution  to  maintain  his  Autho- 
f)S  in  his  Conduct  to  Phar^oli,  that  haughty  Re- 
bel,, who  bid  iiim  Defiance,    and  ffoutly  ref«fed  to 

kt  Ifrael  go. Here  we  fee   his   fovereiL^r>  Grace 

and  felf-movjng  Goodnefs,  as  it  were,  forcing  the 
infatuated  Ifraelites  from  their  beloved  Egypt,  arid 
their  beloved  Idols  :  and  when  he  had  tlie  highcR 
l^rovocaiions  to  dertroy  them,  hov.  he  wrought  tor 
his   great  Narac's  fake,    ,uiitil   he  bad .  prepared 


;,v  ths  PermiJJion  of  ^m.  TCI 

them    for,  rnd  brought  them  in  to  the  promifed 

Land. And  hoA',    in   the    mean  Time,   he   kt 

his  Hatred  of  their  Sins  in  the  cleared  and  rtron- 
gcftLight  i  commaadingthc  Earth  to  open  >'s  Mouth 
and  iwallow  up  Hundreds,  am!  the  Piague  to  go 
forth,  trom  Time  to  Time,  and  cut  down  Thoufands 
in  a  Moment,  yea,  dooming  that  whole  Generation 
to  wander. and  fail  in  rheWildcrncfs  fortheirCrimes, 

rcferving  the  good  Land   for   their    Polleniy. 

Here  we  fee  him  exercifmg  his  Sovereignty,  when 
the  liVaelitcs  and  the  Egyptians  both  defcrved  Dc- 
ftru6tion,  and  to  have  been  buried  ahve  in  the  Red- 
Sea  together;  he  had  Mercy  on  whom  he  would 
have  Mercy,  axid  whom  lie  would,  he  give  up  tc 
Hardnefs  of  Heart,  and  to  Ruin.  Aiul  after  the 
Ifraelites  had  been  in  the  "VV^iidernefs  above  a  Year, 
and  had  fuffici-.^ntly  (hewn  what  they  v;crc,  and  car- 
ried their  Provocations  io  high,  that  divme'Jt«p^ce 
faid,  '^  Let  me  aione,  that  1  may  deftroy  them  itl  % 
*'  Moment,"  ftill  he  wrought  for  his  great  Name's 
fake  :  and  had  Mercy  on  them,  becaul'c  he  would 
have  Mercy  on  tljem,  and  vus  gracious  to  thsic, 
bccauCe  he  would  be   graciof^o  tliem  :  i.  c.  froun 


his  fell-moving  Goodnefs  andTovertign  Grace.* — 

And 
Exod.  XXXIII.  39.  Num,  XIV.  From  thcfc  Difpcnfa- 
tions,  which  were  acknowledged  to  be  right  by  the  Jews, 
St.  Paul  was  able  to  juilify  the  dirine  Conduft  in  his 
Day,  in  cafting  off  the  Jews,  and  calling  the  Gentiles.' 
Jicm,  IX.  *'  If  God  had  a  Plight  to  give  up  Pharach  to 
**  Hardnefs  of  Heart  and  to  Deftruc^ien  in  the  Dajs  of 
**  rolu,  as  ye  Jews  own  ;  why  not  you  row  .^—If  the 
**  Excrcifcs  of  God's  Grace  were  fovereign  then,  to 
"  your  Fathers,  who  dcferved,God  being  Judge,  to  be  all 
*•  confumcd  in  a  Moment  ;  why  may  not  the  Gentiles, 
•'  Dotwithftanding  their  ill  Dcicits,  be  now  called  and 
'*  r^vcd,  fiom  the  fame  fovcreioo  Grace  ?  God  ufcd  r© 
'    ;.tl  as  A  Sovereign  ;  why  mav  ;■;  not  ftiU  \  And  if  :.i 


I05  Tht    Vw'SDOM    of  Gdd 

And  by  all,  we^e,  tint  not  anyThing,  whatfoever, 
is  able  to  iruftr^'te  God's  Dcfigns,  or  hinder  the 
faithful  Accomplifnment  of  h^s  Promil'c  toAbrahairi, 
1'hut  to  his  Seed  he  would  give  theLand  of  Canaan. 
At  the  lame  Time,  we  have  human  Nature 
brought  upon  the  Stage,  and  Experiments  made  up- 
on the  Heart  of  Man,  in  a  great  Variety  ;  whereby 
its  true  'I'emperis  as  certainly  determined,  as  w^s 
ever  the  Nature  of  any  Thing  in  thenaturalWorid, 
by  the  great  Sir  Ifaac  Newton.  * 

So 

^*  oocInflaTice  ;  why  not  in  another,  altogether  fimilflr  ?" 
Nor  could  the  Jew  falHy  evade  the  Force  of  ihls  Reafon- 
ing. — And  if  we  Qiould  only  mppcfc,  that  Pharaob,  after 
he  was  drowned,  went  to  Hdl,  and  that  the  unbelieving 
Jews  of  that  Age,  who  were  caft  off  by  God  for  their 
Infidelity,  were  eternally  loll,  then  we  have  the  Doflrinc 
of  Reprobation,  which  has  been  fo  mnch  mifundcrdood 
and  mifreprercnted,  exemplified  in  Facts.  For,  what- 
foever  God  does  in  Time,  That,  He  from  all  Eternity, 
irjtended  to  do. — Yea,  and  that,  vj^iich  is  right  for  God 
to  do  in  Time,  He  Hai^  a  Right  frofff  Eternity  to  dctcr- 
minc  to  do. — Yea,  if  %od,  in  Fact,  governs  the  World 
WM-L,  then  he  did  well  to  determine  to  govern  it  as 
he  does, — ReafonableCrcatures  would  ncrer  ol)je<5tagainfl 
God's  laying  out  a  univerfai  Plan,  if  the  Plan  did  but 
fuit  their  Taile. 

*  Objection.  "  B'Jt  it  can  nex'cr  be  fuppofed,  that  the 
"  true  Chara(5ter  of  human  Nature,  in  general,  can  be 
"  decided. from  the  pervelfe  Condud  ot  the  ifraclilcr.  in 
"  the  Wildcrncfs." 

Answer.     Was    not    their  Conduvfl,   then,    of  a  .FlcfC 
vith  the  general  Tenor  of  thcirCondaft,  from  that  Time . 
and  forv/ard,  for    fifteen  Hundred  Years,  when  they  f\e>if ., 
fchcir  Prophets,  yea,  and  crucified  the  Son  of  God  ?  A<^\.i 

va.  SI,  ;2. 


iH  the  PcrmiJJlon  'of  Si)^.  Idj 

,So  that,  on  thcfe,as  well  as  man^ther Accounts, 
that  Plan  was  not  only  for  the  HoJ|prof  God,  at^d 
Good  of  the  Ifraelitfs  ;  but  for  the  jBeneht  ot  Man- 
kind in  a",  fucceeding  Generations. 

And  how  know  we  but  that  it  was  deHgned  by 
the  inhnitely  wife  God, as  a  little  Kind  of  Picture, 
in  which  wc  might  fee,  in  Miniature,  the  Nature 
of  God's  Government  of  the  whole  moril  Syltcm, 
and  the  Reafons  of  his  permitting  Sin  and  Mifery  to 

enter   into   the  World  he   had  maJc  ? Waich 

brings  me — 

Secondly,  After  having  viewed  the  Wifdora 
of  God  in  the  Permiflion  of  Sir>,  in  various  plain 
Inllances,  to  proceed  humbly  to  fearch  into  the  Wi^^ 
dom  of  God,  in  Ever  permitting  Sin  and  Mifery  t® 
enter  into  World.  And 

I.  As  all  God's  Works  are  uniform,  fo  we  may 
juftly  argue  from  the  WifJom  and  Beauty  oi  particu- 
lar Parts,  to  the  Wjfdom  and  Beauty  of  the  Whole. 
As  God's  Nature  is  always  the  fam«,  and  as  he  al- 
K  ways 

Obj.     "  If  it  was  ;  yet   it  is  cot    to  be    fuppofed,  that 
•*  ©very  Nation  would  have  been  fo  wicked  and  pervcrfe,. 
••  as  the  Jews  were,  ifuodef  like  Circumlhncea." 
Aks.     But  it  is  the  common  Ckaracfler  of  an  apoflate  fallea 
World,  that  they  are  *'  dead  in  Sia."  Eph.  II.  i,  2,  3« 
Obj.     *'  These  Words  were  fpoken  of  the  Gentiles,  ani 

"  fo  are  nothing  to  the  Purpofe." 
Axs.  Seeing  then  (according  to  thefe  Men)  the  Charac- 
ter of  Mankind  cant  be  Icara'd  froiH  what  is  faid  iii 
the  old  ©1- new  Tcdiment,  of  Jews,  or  Gentiles  ;  bu- 
we,  in  tiiis  Age  and  Natien,  ar«  quite  another  Kind  cf 
Creaturt-i,  fo  bencvolcBt,  fo  goad,  fjvirtv.;ou3  ;  nicthinki" 
the  Old  and  New  Ttrtrtmenis  are  Writings  not  fitted  »o 
cnr  Csfc  ;  as  they  arc  not  adapted  to  Men  of  our  Cha- 
ra<5ler.  And  perhaps  this  is  one  J^cafon,  thcfa  ancient 
Writings  arc  in  fo  \o^  Credit  vruh  aiany  in   Uic   Briddi 

-;.s:^ aod  PUtQ  bc§i<^    to  kc  more   a4a;irti 

'•.%]  or  St   Paul. 


104  ^^  WisDoxr  of  G9d 

ways  a6lslike  {umfelf;  fo  therefore  his  Works  are 
aJ.  ways  harmonious  and  confiftent.  So  that  if  we  can 
fee  tl\c  Wifdom  of  God  in  the  Permiflion  of  Sin  in 
fome  Inftances,  ^^e  may  juftly  argue  to  his  Wifdom 
in  his  whole  grandScheme. — Yea, and  from  theWif- 
dom, Glory  andBeauty  of  particularParts,wc  may  be 
rationally  convinced,  that  God's  grand  Scheme  is 
perfect  in  Wifdom,  Glory  and  Beauty,  altho'  it  be 
fo  incomprehenfibly  great,  as  to  confound  our  Un- 
derftandings.  If  we  certainly  know  that  God's 
IVorks  arc  all  uniform,  and  if  there  is  one  fmall 
Part  that  we  can  underftand  and  comprehend,  and 
if  we  fee  this  is  perfedly  wife,  we  may  be  afTured  the 
whole  is  fo  too  ;  altho'  when  we  try  to  look  into  it, 
wc  feel  ourMinds  quite  overwheimed  with  its  incom- 
prehenfible  Grcatnefs. 

2.  Yea,  were  there  .no  particular  Inftance,  in 
which  we  could  fee  the  Vv^'fdom  ofGod  in  the  Per- 
miflion of  Sin,  yet  from  the  Perfe6\ions  of  the  divine 
Nature  alone,  we  have  fuch  full  Evidence,  that  He 
muft  always  ad  in  the  wifeli  and  beftManner,as  that 
wc  oun;ht  not  in  the  leafc  to  doubt  it. 

In  the  Dsys  of  Eternity,  long  before  theFounda- 
tion  of  the  World,  this  Syftcm  now  inExi{lencc,and 
this  Plan  which  now  takes  place,  and  all  other  pof- 
fible  Sy[\ems,  and  all  other  poflible  Plans,  more  in 
Number  perhaps  than  the  very  Sands  on  the  Sea 
Shore,all/qually  lay  open  to  the  divincView,and  one 
2s  eafyt'o  Almightinefs  as  another.  He  had  his 
Choice  .-  He  had  none  to  plcafc,  but  himfelf  :  bc- 
fides  him  there  was  no  Being  :  He  had  a  perfcaiy 
good  Tafte,  and  nothing  to  bias  his  Judgment,  and 
was  infinite  in  Wifdom  :  this  he  chofe  :  and  this., 
of  all  poflible  Syftems,  therefore,  was  the  befl,  infi- 
nite Wifdom  and  pcrfed  Reaitude  being  Judges,  If 
therefore  the  Whole  were  as  abfolutely  incompre-'^ 
hcufiblc  by  us,   as  it  is  by  Children  of  four  Yw-rs 

C-d> 


t/1  th  PermiJJlsn  of  Sm,  1  cy 

old,  yet  we  ought  firmly  to  believe  the  whole  to  be 
pcrfecft  inWifdom,  Glory  and  Beauty. 

3.  But  if  all  God's  Works  are  uniform,  as  has 
been  faid,  we  may  not  only  argue  from  the  Wifdom 
of  particular  Parts,  to  the  Wifdom  of  the  Whole  •, 
but  alfo  tiom  the  fpecial  Nature  of  particular 
Parts,  to  the  fpecial  Nature  of  the  Whole  ;  and  io 
from  a  right  Idea  of  particular  Parts,  which  we  are 
ubie  to  eomprefcend,  we  may  have  fome  right  Con- 
ceptions of  theWhole,aItho'  the  Whole  is  too  greats 
for  our  Ccmprehenfion.  And  fo  here  is  aClue,v.'hich 
will  lead  us  into  a  right  View  of  the  true  Nature  of 
the  whole  moral  SyOem,  and  help  us,  at  lejili,  to 
feme  partial  View  of  the  V/ifdom,  GJory  and  Beau- 
ty of  the  Whole. 

4.  And  indt-ed,  it  feims  to  liavc  been  God's  D:- 
fign,  in  this  State  of  Inftrudtion  and  Difcipline,, 
where  we  tirtl  come  into  Exiftence,  and,  from  fma!l 
Beginnings,  are  to  grow  up  to  a  more  full  Know- 
ledge of  Ciod  and  liiiight  iiUo  his  moral  Govern- 
meiit  of  the  World,  the  Contcrrplation  of  which 
vill  afford  the  moll  intenfe  Delight  to  all  holy  Be- 
ings, throughout  eteina.1  Ages;  I  fay,  it  feems  to 
have  been  God*s  Dcfign,  to  fuit  Things  to  the  pre- 
fent  V/eakncfs  of  our  Capacities,  by  reprefcntino^ 
the  general  Nature  of  the  whole  inotal  Syllem  in 
fome  ielect  Parts  of  it,  giving  us  a  Kind  cf  a  Pic- 
ture of  the  Whole  in  Miniature,  to  lead  us  to 
fome  right  Notions  of  the  Naturt  of  the  Whole. 

'Tis  certain,  that,  as  all  God's  Woiks  are  uni- 
form, amidll  all  their  infinite  Variety,  fo  it  has  bccvi 
his  Method,  in  his  lelferWorks- in  the  iraralWorld, 
defignedly  to  give  a  f«int  Image  of  his  greater,  anfl 
hereby  prepare  the  ^Vay  for  their  being  the  morj 
eaGly  underilood.  So  the  Redemption  cf  IfraeJ  out 
of  Kgypt  was  dcfigncd  as  a  Shadow  of  our  fpiritudl 
ilcdcaiptioa  by  Chrift  :  and  the  Deliverance  of  t!  . 
K  2  T. 


f6  The   WiCDOM   0f  God 

Jews  cut  of  Babylon  was  deHgned  as  a  Refemblance 
or  the  De;ivcr«ncc  of  the  ChrilUan  Church  out  of 
myftica!  Bsbylon.  And  there  are  almof^  innume- 
rable Infianccs  of  the  hkc  Nature  in  Scripture.  Yea, 
the  whole  JewilliDifpenfation  was  evidently  dcfigned 
^o  be  emblematical.  So  indeed  was  every  Thing 
n  the  natural  World,  from  which  Metaphors  and 
Alluf^ons  are  confiantly  brought  by  Chril\  and  his 
Apoftles,  to  reprelent  and  ilhiftrutc  fpiritual  and  di- 
vne  Things ;  z%  well  as  from  the  Jewifli  Difpcn- 

And  indeed  tb.is  was  Workman-! ike, and  becom- 
ing the  infinite  Wifdom  of  the  great  Contriver 
and  Former  of  all  Tilings,  to  whom  all  his  Works 
wer^^nown  from  the  Beginning,  and  who  dcfigned 
trJs  Ibwer  World,  as  th?  grand  Stage  of  AcTtion  for 
r.}oral  Agents,  i'o  to  c^der  Things  in  all  his  Works, 
and  in  ail  his  Difpenfations,  as  that  one  Thing 
fncu'd  give  Ivight  to  another  ;  Things  in  the  natu- 
ral World,  toThings  in  the  moral  ;  Things  in  the 
Jewifti  Difpcnfation,  to  Things  in  theChriHian. 

It  would,  therefore,  be  perfccflly  analogous  to 
he  reft  of  God's  Works,  if  he  had  defigned  fomc 
eminent  Parts  of  his  grand  Plan  of  moral  Govern- 
ment to  contain  in  Miniature  the  Nature  of  the 
Wliole,  and  contrived  them  to  rcpreftnt,  and  fuited 
hem  to  point  out  to  us  the  Wifdom  and  Beauty  of 
is  grand  and  glorious  Shcme,  which  is  too  large 
;or  cyr  pr«fent  Comprchenfion  ;  and  too  difficult 
:)  be  undcrnood,but  by  the  Help  of  little  Pictures, 
where  the  Whole  is  contained  in  Miniature. 

5.  Yea,  V/e  may  venture  to  affirm,  that  of  Ne- 
cefTity  it  muft  be  the  Cafe,  that  the  Nature  of  the 
^arts  will  certainly  fhcw  the  Nature  of  the  Whole, 
m  a  moral  S)ftem,  under  the  Government  of  him 
who  is  the  fame  Ycfterday,  to  Day,  and  forever. 
For,  while  he  conftantly  aclshke  himfelf,  his  whole 

Condua 


/;/  ths  PermiJJtcn  of  Si^»  1 07 

Condu(51  will  be  of  a  Piece,  always  like  itfelf ;  and 
fo  one  Part  of  it  wilJ  ilJuftrate  theNatiire  of  another  : 
and  fo  from  tht  Knowledge  of  the  Nature  of  various 
Parts,  we  may  certainly  argue  to  the  Nature  of  the 
Whole.  As,  let  us  but  dihgently  obferve  a  wife  and 
good  Man,  who  is  unifcrm  and  fteady  in  his  Ways  j 
and  from  repeated  Intlances  of  his  CondudV,  we 
Ihall  enter  into  the  Knowledge  of  his  Temper  in 
general,  and  perceive  the  V^iews  and  Defigns  which 
govern  him.  So  let  us  but  attend  to  the  dif  ine  Con- 
duel,  as  recorded  n\  that  Book,  which  may  juftly  be 
denominated  \.\\\,  Hiliory  of  the  Deity,  and  enter 
into  his  V^iews  and  Defigns,  in  particular  Inftanccs 
of  his  Condu6t,as  there  intimated  ;  and  we  may  witli 
fufficicnt  Certainty  determine  his  moral  Charadv  r, 
and  the  general  Nature  andDeiign  of  his  wholePlan. 

Shew  me,  therefore,  his  Views  and  Def.gns  in 
fuftcring  Jofcpli  to  be  fold,  Ifrael  to  be  opprefftd, 
Pharaoh  to  harden  his  Heart,  Ifrael  to  murmu'-  ^nd 
rebel  and  fail  in  the  Wiidernefs  ;  end  let  me  into 
the  WifJom  of  his  Condudf,  in  th(.fj  particul-.u* 
Parts  of  his  grand  Scheme  ;  and  then  afTure  me 
that  the  whole  Syflem  is  governed  by  the  fame  in- 
finitely wife  Being  ;  and  how  can  I  doubt  the  Wif- 
dom  of  the  Whole,  while  I  behold  the  Wifdom  of 
thefe  particular  Parts  ?  Or  how  can  I  be  at  a  T.ois 
far  the  general  Nature  of  the  Whole,  while  1  be- 
hold the  Nature  of  thefe  particular  Parts,  and  firmly 
believe  that  God  always  acls  like  himfclf,  and  keeps 
up  a  conQant  Uniformity  thro*  all  the  inlinite  Va- 
rieties of  Cif(s  and  Circumdances,  that  ever  occur 
in  his  moral  Government  of  the  Wor'rl  ? 

6. If, therefore, 'hePlan  wh'ch  infin  ttWifdom  con- 
trived to  brin*;  Jacob's  Family  into  Eeypt..  and  from 
thence  thro'  the  Red- Sea  andWildcrne  s  into  Cana- 
an, in  which  fo  much  Sin  was  pcrmitlbd,  and  fo 
much  Mifery  endured,  was,  all  Things  confide  red, 
K  3  ih^ 


ic'J  Tl:t'-  Wisdom  of  Gii 

^he  wlfeft  and  bed  ;  as  being  fo  exa(5\ly  fultcd  to  ftt 

H  thij  Pcrrc'vfrions  of  God  in  the  fullefl  and  ftrongeft 

i'oint  of  Lig]it,and  at  the  fameTime  tounmafk  their 

Msart?,aiid  fet  their  abfolute  Dependence  on  God, 

Mjd  great  Obhgarions  to  him,  and  the  infinite  Evil 

f  Sin,  in  fuch  a  Light,    as  had  the  moi^   powerfiil 

tendency  to  induce  them,  with  penitent,  humble, 

urokcn  Hearts,  in  an  entire  Self-dlflidence,    to  put 

their  Trull:  only  in  God,  and  be  wholly  devoted  to 

•-im,  to  h\r  him, and  lov«  hira,  and  walk  in  all  his 

.•/ay5,anc'keep  all  hisCommands',  fetkinghis  Glory: 

i  fay,    if  that  Plan    was  the  wifeft>..that  could  have 

been' contrived  to  anfvver  thefe  Ends  ;  and  fo  the 

cil:  fuited  to-promote  the  Glory  of  God,  and  the 

ell:  Good  of  the  Ifraelites  ;  and -to  anfwer    many 

oble  iCnds  in  that  Age,   and  in  all  fiicceedingGc- 

cTutions  : — Such,  no  Doubt,  mufi  be  the  V/hole  ot 

>jd's  mord  Government  of  the  World  ;   in  which 

■nmenrfly  great  Plan,  fo  much  Sin  is  permitted,  and 

J  much  iVIifcry  endured,     i.  e.  It  mull:  be  the  bell 

vontrived   Sclieme  poflible,  to  advance    the  Glory 

tA  (jod,  and  tlie   bed   Good  of  the  moral  Syflem. 

I  AM  f:.riff;ble, there  are  many  Objections}  which 

\^iil  be  apt  to  a/il'e  in  tlie  Reader's  Mind,  and  which 

lire  capable  of  being  put  into  a  veryplaufible  Drefs, 

nd  which,   at  lirH:  Sight,  may  fee  m  to  appear  quite 

^r.nn.Vcrable.     Nor  am  I  unwilling  they  ihould  be 

fct  in  their    lirongtfl:    Light.     'Tis  bell  to  Icok  on 

all  Sides,    and  that  with    the  utmofl  Care  and  Im- 

purri.dity.     And   every  hcnefiReader,  who  fincerely 

efircs  to  knov/  the  Tiuth,  to  underfland  the  P«.ea- 

■155  of  the  divine  Ccn('u<51:,  and  to  fee  the  W.ifdom, 

\>'ory  and  Beauty  of  his  univevfal  Plan,  will  be  na- 

iiraUy  x\{^^ok<\  «o  lo(  k  up  to  f-Icaven,  and  (ay,  *'  O 

"  thouFatlici  cf  Li^Ji  Sj  thcu  iountain  of  all  iCno  w- 

' '   icdi^e,  fenilLk  thai  v/e  ]ackWifdom,^nd  cncoiii  a^;- 

■     ttlby  thy  jrv-cjous  iiiviiation,  we  ccr;;etoll  .  ' 


<*, 


in  the  Permijjlon  of  Zi)^.  tcj 

««  who  give  t  liberally  to  all  that  afic,  nor  upbraicleff-, 
"  nor  denied  the  moft  unworthy,  who  aficinths* 
<*  Name  or'  Chriit— Open  thou  our  Eyes,  that  we 
•'  may  fte  the  AVifdoin  of  thy  Government,  and 
"  behold  the  Beauty  of  thy  Conduft,  that  we  may 
"  not  onlyjullify  th>  Ways  to  Men  ;  but  fti'],  more 
**  than  ever,  love  znd  fear  that  fearful  and  glorious 
*'  Name  or  thine,  The  Lord  our  God  !"-I — For, 
there  is  not  one  Point,  in  natural  or  revca'ed  Reli- 
gion, attended  with  fo  great  Diificu'ties  as  This, 
Therefore  we  greatly  need  to  haTeourKearts  purified, 
and  ourMmds  enlightened  by  divineGrace*,  thar,witli 
a  jood  TaAe,  and  an  unbiafs'd  Judgmeni:,  we  may 
fearch  into  the  hidden  Myileries  of  God's  ^reat  and 
cteriul  Kingdom. 

— —  The  Objections  are  as  fol'ovv 

1.  '^  How  couid  it  be  for  the  Honour  of  the  L:  ■ 
"  preme  Lord  and  Governor  of  the  Uni^erfe,  to 
"  fuffer  Satan,  his  Enemy,  by  his  Lies,  to  deceive, 
*'  fcduce  and  perfuade  innocer  tMan  to  jrebel  again'l 
"  his  facred  IVIijcihsand  fubject  hin)felf  and  ai'  is 
*'  Race  to  Death  and  RuiK  ?" 

2.  "  Flow  could  it  be  to  the  bcfl  Good  of  the 
"  i\ioral  Syllem,  that  this  lower  World,  inilcad  of 
'"  being  inhabited  by  a  Race  of  iricarnato  Angeis, 
*'  ever  celebrating  r!ie  Praifes  of  their  greatCreator, 
''  perfedly  happy  in  hislmage  «5c  Favour,lhould  fmk 
**  down  into  fo  near  a  Refcmblance  to  Heil,inWick  • 
"  ednafs  and  Woe?  O  how  infinitely  better  would 
"  if  have  l?een,if  inStead  of  o;n  antlMi/ery  iiere  aid 
*'  eternal  Pains  of  Hell  hereafter,  to  be  iuffered  by 
"  fuch  innumerable  Multitudes,  uli  hud  been  for 
"  evr»*  holy  and  happy  !" 

-  How  can  it  be  made  to  appeir,:.iJrat  Sin  and 

iffc;ry  were  at  all  needful*,  much  Jefs  'Mbfo.'utely 

ccTr<ry,  in  a  Syftem  ofigir-TiMy   ho.'y  and  happy, 

:,...r  any  valua}>le  EtK..  >.  not   be 

K  4  ''  ui 


J- 


I  TO  The  WiJDOM  ef  God 

"  tolim'tthc  holy  One  of  Ifrae],  to  fsy,  That  he 
**  could  tind  out  no  other  Way,  fo  good  as  this,  to 
*'  exalt  God, and  rendertheSyftem  holy  and  happy  V 

4.  "  If  God  wills  Sin,  then  it  feems.  Sin  is  agree- 
"  able  to  his  Will  :  And  if  fiom  all  Eternity  hede- 
*<  creed  the  Mifcry  of  his  Crea^ures,  then  it  feems 
**  their  Mifery  fuits  him.  Both  which,  as  is  grant- 
"  ed  on  all  Hands,  are  diredly  contrary  to  Reafon 
"  and  to  Scripture." 

Before  we  attempt  a  dirca  Anfwer  tothefeOb- 
jecfrions,  let  three  or  four  Things  be  premifed. 

I.  Be  it  fo,  that  God's  permitting  Sin  and  Mifery 
to  enter  into  the  World,  appears  to  us  ever  fo  dark  ; 
yet  this  is  no  Argument  at  all  againft  the  Wifdom, 
Glory  and  Beauty  of  the  divine  Condud  in  this  Af- 
fair, f'cr,  there  have  been  Inftancesof  the  divine 
Condu(f>,in  allAppearance  dark  toPerfc(ftion,vhich, 
in  the  Refult,  have  proved  perfect  in  Wifdom  and 
Beauty.  When  Jacob  faw  his  Son's  Coat  all  ftained 
with  Blood,  he  had  nothing  but  Darknefs  andDeath 
before  his  iEyes.  **  An  evil  Beaft,  faid  he,  hath 
"  devoured  him  :  Jofeph  is  without  doubt  rent  in 
*'  Pieces."  Wherefore  he  '' rent  his  Cloaths,  and 
"  put  on  Sackcloth,  and  mourned  for  his  Son,  and 
"  refufed  to  be  comforted."  Nor  had  he  the  leaft 
G'eam  of  Light,  for  above  20  Years,  in  this  dark 
Affair.  Yea,  it  grew  darker,  when  Simeon  was 'left 
bound  in  Egjpt,  never  to  be  releafed,  unleft  Tkrija- 
min  went  alfo.  "  Jofeph  is  not,"  fays  he,  ''  -^vA 
*'  Simern  is  not  !  And  yc  will  take  Benjamin  a;\ay ! 
'*  All  thefe  Things  are  againd   me."— So  lie  fpakc, 

and   fo   he  thought  ;  for    fo  Things  appeared. • 

But  yet  afterwards  he  viewed  the  whole  Plan  in  a 
very  difftrcnt  Light,  as  being  contrived  and  brought 
about  by  infinite  Wifdom  and  Grodnefs.  A:^d 
doubtlefs  he  was  ready  to  fay,  *'  Never  let  n    ,    i 


hi  the  PermjJJJon  of  Sv^,  1 1 

«'  poor  (hort^fighted  Creature,  venture  again  to  call 
«'  in  Q^ieftion  ifie  Wifdom  of"  the  fuprcme  Govcr- 
''  nor  of  the  World,  all  whofe  Ways  are  perfecl. 
«'  Remember  it,  O  my  Soul,  from  this  Time  for- 
*'  wurd.  And  for  the  furure,let  me  learn  to  do  my 
*'  Duiy,and  chearfully  leaveGodto  order  allTh"ng$ 
*'  as  he  pleafes  :  hrmly  believing  all  his  Conda(51  to 
"   be  wife,  whether  I  can  fee  thro'  it,  or  no." 

And  how  dark  toMofes,fled  into  theLand  of  Mi- 
dian  lo  fave  his  Life^  mul"l  the  divine  Conduift  ap- 
pear, in  fuffering  his  Breiircn,  the  Children  of  Ifrael 
to  be  fo  cruelly  ufed  by  Pharaoh?  Nor  had  he  the  leaft 
Gleam  of  L  ght,  in  this  dirk  Afti'.r,  for  forty  Years. 
Yetit  afrerwarvls  appeared  ro  betull  of  the  wonderful 
Wifdom  of  God,  as  we  have  before  obfcived.  And 
nodcubt,  Mofcs  faw  it,  to  his  abundant  SatisfacTiion. 

But  as  for  the  Inhabitants  of  Egypt,  when  they 
Jieard  that  Pharaoh,   their  grand  Monarch,   and  all 

liis  Hofts  were  drowned   in  t'.c  Red  Sea And  as 

for  the  Ifraelites,  whofe  Carcafes  were  doom'd  to 
fall  in  the  Wildernefs — thefe  Difpeniations  were  to 
them  fo  dark,  and  they  in  fuch  a  Temper,  that 
it  was  near  or  quite  impoflible,  they  (houid  fee  the 
Wifdom  of  God  in  them. — Nor  was  it  itrancre,  they 
could  not  fee. But  this  leads  me  to  add, 

2.  That  it  is  not  at  all  ftrange,  that  God's  Con- 
duel  in  the  PermifHon  of  Sin  fhou'J  appear  ex- 
ceeding dark  to  us,  how  v^ife,  glorious  and  beautiful 

foever  it  is  in  itfelf,  and    in  the  Eyes  of  God 

(i.)BecaufeourViewsof  God's  grandPlan  are  fo  very 
impertecl.  When  God  has  finifned  his  ScUemc,all 
holy  Beings  will  eafily  fee  the  Beauty  of  it.  For 
then  it  will  appear,  what  he  had  in  View,  and  how 
wifely  every  T  hing  was  ordered  to  anfwer  the  no- 
bleif  and  bed  Ends.  It  was  eafy,  whc»  Jacob  be- 
neid  Jofeph  Governor  over  all  the  Land  of  E^ypt, 
for  him  to  fee  thro'  an  AfFmr,  which   before, ?or  a 

lonor/ 


m  7'hs  Wisdom  of  Gtd 

Jong  Courfe  of  Years,  had  been  abfolutely  inexpli- 
cable. B£iides--(2.)  It  is  not  ftrange,  that  God's 
prcfent  PJan  of  Government  appears  fo  dark  to  us, 
however  divine  and  glorious  it  is  in  it  felf,  confidcr- 
ing  how  ill  a  Taile  we  have.  It  is  not  to  be  expe6t- 
cd,  that  fallen  Creatures,  greatly  alienated  from  the 
Deity,  and  of  a  Temper  quite  contrary  to  his,  (bould 
befuited  with  his  Plans  of  Government.  Jf  wicked 
Men  are  Enemies  to  God,  and  Enemies  to  his  Law, 
as  the  Scriptures  teach  ;  *(hey  are  pj^t  in  a  Capacity 
to  difcern  the  Beauty  of  a  Plan  all  over  divine,  li 
was  not  ftrange,  that  the  Egyptians  could  not  fee  \\\i 
Wi  dom  of  God  in  the  Ovcrihrow  of  Pharaoii  and 
his  Hofls.  Nor  was  it  ihangc,  that  the  wicked  If- 
raelite.  were  fo  far  from  feeing  the  Wifdom  of  God 
in  dooming  their  Carcafes  to  fall  in  the  Wildernef?, 
that  they  were  rather  difpofcd  to  blafpheme  his 
Name.  Yea,  they  began  their  Blafphcmy  before 
tfccy  received  rhcir  Doom.  And  when  they  might 
have  gone  right  on  to  Canaan,  had  it  not  been  iheir 
cwn  Fault,  they  began  to  fay,  tl^at  God  had  brought 
them  out  of  Egypt  on  Purpofe  to  deilroy  them,  f 
Jufl  as  Tome  defperatc  Sinners,  who  are  deaf  to  all 
tiiC  C?.lls  of  the  Gofpel,  and  refufe  to  march  for  the 

eavenly  Canaan,  fometimes  in  Fiis  of  Horroi', 
.lie  ready  to  think,  that  God  made  them  on  Purpofe 
TO  damn  them.     It  is  eafy  for  us  to  fee  the  Unrca.- 

n^bknefs  and  Perverlenefs  of  the  Childrtn  of 
..rael,and  impenitent,  obiiinate  Sinners  are  evident- 
ly quite  as  much  to  Blame  ;  but  you  cannot  make 
them  fee  it ;  nor  cqu'd  iVlofes  make  the  ifri  elites  fee 
it  in  theirCafe.  Nob  is  it  to  be  expected,  tliat  Crea- 
tures, fo  far  funk  into  Depravity  and  Guilt,  will  be 
difpofcd  lojuitify  God  ar^d  his  VVa)s,  aitho'  all  his 
DifpcnfatioiiS  are  ever  fj  wife  and  jull.  But  tlicn 
thcirDiihke  to  the  divine  Government,  be  it  ever  fo 

great, 

*  Rom.  YIII.  7.         t  Num.  XIV. 


tH  the  PeriifiJJion  af  Si^i,  1 13 

grcjt,  is  no  Sign  but  that  it  is  psrfecflly  wife,  haly, 
jud  and  good.  Moles  thought  not  the  Jeis  honour- 
ably ofGod's  Condu6l  in  theOvcithro/v  of  Pharaoh, 
becaufe  it  looked  fo  dark  to  the  Egyptians.  Nor 
do  the  Inhabitants  of  Heaven  think  the  lefs  honour- 
ably of  God's  Condud  in  thePermifTion  andPunifh- 
ment  of  Sin  in  general,  becaufe  it  looks  fo  dark  to 
obftinate  Sinners. — God  has  given  us  an  Inflance — 
Adout  168  Years  before  the  Babylonifli  Capti- 
vity, after  tha  Ifraclitcs  had  been  in  the  promifed 
Land  693  Years,  and  by  tlieir  Perv'crfenefs  had 
wearied  out  God's  Patience,  fo  that  CJod  was  pro- 
voked to  give  them  up  to  their  Hearts  Lufts,  Ifaiah 
was  fent  with  this  awful  Mefla^c  to  them,  *'  Go 
and  tell  this  People,  Hear  ye  indeed  ;  but  under- 
fland  not  :  fee  ye  indeed  ;  but  perceive  net  : 
make  the  Heart  of  this  People  fat,  and  raaks 
their  Ears  heavy,  and  fliut  their  Eyes"  he. 
Then  faid  1,  Lord, how  Jong  ?  And  he  anfwered. 
Until  the  Cities  be  wafted,'  without  Inhabitant, 
and  the  Houfcs  without  Alan,  and  the  Land  be 
utterly  defolate."  f  Than  which  nothing  could 
look  more  dark  to  the  guilty  Jews,  thus  doomed  to 
Deftruaion.  Yet,  to  the  Inhabitants  of  Heaven, 
God's  CondwL^,  in  all  this,  appeared  to  be  unutter- 
ably glorious.  So  that  upon  the  Occafion  they 
eren  "  cried,"  as  under  the  deepeft  ImprcITions, 
«*  Holy,  Holy,  Holy'is  the  Lord  of  Hofts,  the  whole 
"  Earth  is  full  of  his  Glory."t  So  again  in  the 
nineteenth  Chapter  of  the  Revelation,  we  have  the 
h«avenly  Hofts  rcprefented  as  in  the  higheft  Ex^^acy 
of  Joy,  on  Occafion  of  the  Deftruilion  of  myftical 
Babylon  ;  which,  yet,  no  doubt,  when  it  comes  to 
pafs,  will  appear  inexpreflibly  dark,  and  glorious  to 
the  Pope,  and  his  Parry  ;  altho'  the  Poor  perfecuted 
Saints  in  Popifh  Countries  will  be  ready  to  join  the 
heavenly  Hofts  in  their  Songs  of  Praife.  Yea, 
t  ^^^'  VL  3.  WauK 


1 14  ^^-^  Wisdom  $f  God 

3.  When  I  think  over  former  Difpenfations  of 
Providence,— Jofeph's  Affair,  and  ijow  dark  it  ap- 
peared to  Jacob — ihe  Cafe  of  the  Ifriaehtes  in  fore 
Bondage  in  bgypt,  and  how  dark  it  appeared  to 
Mof«sfled  intoMidian — And  that  thisJacoi»,and  this 
h'lofesj,  were  the  befl  of  Men,  and  the  P'avourites 
of  Heaven  ;  and  yet  the  divine  Condu<^  to  them 
■was  abfolutely  unaccountable — And  as  I  lock  along 
thro'  the  Bible,  I  can  think  of  other  Inftances  of  the 
like  Nature,  one  after  anotlier,  till  I  come  to  the 
Crucifixion  of  Chrii\  ;  the  moft  horrid  S)n,that  ever 
v/as  committed  :  an  Affair  exceeding  dark  to  tlie 
Difciples,  the  beit  of  Men  then  in  the  World, 
and  who  were  even  ready.  Things  looked  fo  dark, 
lo  give  up  all  Hopes  of  his  being  the  MefTiah  :  I 
f ly,  vrhen  1  confidcr  tiiefe,  1  cannot  bjt  conclude, 
that  if  the  moft  holy  and  knowing  Men  on  Earth 
were  entirely  unable  to  folvc  the  forementioned 
Difficulties,  relative  to  the  Permilfion  of  Sin,  yet  it 
%\«uld  be  no  juft  Inducement  to  doubt  of  tke  di- 
■  ine  Wifdom.  Yea, 

4.  However  dark  the  Affair  appears,  or  how- 
ever unanfwerable  the  Objections  may  feem  to  be, 
-yet  we  have  ftriaDemonhrationjthat,  of  ail  pofTiblc 
^lans,  this  is  the  belf.  For,  before  the  Foundation 
of  tlie  World,  it  v.as  at  God's  Eleaion,  to  create, 
cr  not  to  create  :  A:.d  of  all  pofTibleSyfteins, he  had 
i  is  Choice  :  nor  v^as  there  any  Thing  to  byafs  his 
Judemeni  :  nor  was  it  poCibie  he  ihould  make  a 
Miffake  :  all  Things  v.ere  open  and  naked  before 
him  :  he  knew  which  was  thf  beft  :  and  he  chofc 
t\\\%  :  and  therefore,  tliis,  to  him  appeared  prefer- 
able  to  any  other  :  and  ■  therefore  it  was  rca'.iy   t;.€ 

bcft. 

And  v<;hat  then  if  we  are  not  able  fully  to  fo^'e 
•  he  DilHculTies  ?  Is  it  not  altogether  reafonabie  to- 
conclude  thaS  it  is  owing  to  our   not  kei'' 


in  the  Permrjjton  ef  Si:<:»  lif 

whole  Plan,  or  to  our  Want  of  a  good  TaRc,  or 
both  ?  It  is  certain,  that  we  are  very  tar  from  a  t\i!l 
View  of  the  whole  Plan.  We  came  into  Exiflcnce, 
as  it  were,  but  yeilerday.  We  are  juit  emerging 
outofNon-entity.  We  rfill  border  onNon-exiftcnce. 
We  are  but  half  awake,  if  To  much.  Wiien  we  en- 
ter into  the  eternal  World,  if  this  fhort  Period  is 
well  fpent,  wc  may  hope  to  have  our  intellectual 
Powers  quite  awakf,  and  to  be  in  a  better  Capacity  * 
to  fearch  into  the  Nature,  and  difccrn  the  Beauties 
of  God's  eternal  Kingdom.-— And  befides  the  Nar- 
rownefs  of  our  prefent  Views,  our  Taf^c  too,  is  at  * 
prefent  much  vitiated.  The  bell:  of  Alen  in  thi» 
World,  are  far  from  that  highRelilh  for  moralBeau- 
ty,  which  is  needful  to  render  them  goo  1  Judges,oii 
a  Plan  fo  altogether  holy  and  divine,  as  this  mult 
certainly  be.  And  while  we  are  are  confcious  to  our 
felves,  that,  with  Peter,  we  are  apt  to  "  favour,not 
"  the  Things  which  be  of  God ;  but  the  Things 
"  which  be  of  Men  :"  and  that  ourMinds  lie  under 
many  ByaiTes  and  Prejudices  ;  too  ftrongly  attached 
to  our  private  Interell:,  but  little  concerned  for  the 
Honour  of  the  divine  Majellj,  or  for  tlie  Honour  of 
his  Government,  and  the  Welfare  of  his  everlafting 

Kingdom, little  caring  for  any  Thing,    farther 

than  our  own  Intereft  is  concerned, l^oo  much 

like  the  Ifraelites  in  theWildernefs,who  were  always 
murmuring  againlf  God  and  againll  Mofes ;  alth'o* 
God  was  all  the  while  taking  the  wileft  Methods 
with  them,  and  Mofes  was  faithful  to  him  that  ap- 
pointed him  :  but  if  their  Appetites  andDefires  were 
croiled,  and  they  dilappolnted  in  their  narrow  feUiih 
Schemes,  they  could  fee  no  Beauty  in  God's  Con- 
du6t,  nor  Glory  in  his  grand  Defigns  ;  but  wilhed 
themfelves  back  again  to  Egypt  :  not  caring  what 
became  of  the  Honour  of  God's  great  Name,  and 
quite  ftupid  to  all  the  noble  EndsGod  ha<4  in  View, 


1 1 6  TJi€  Wisdom  of  God 

in  their  Separation  from  the  Reft  of  the  World,  to 
be  his  pecuHar  People  : 1  fay,  while  we  are  con- 
scious to  this  Low- fpiritcdners,  to  this  mean,  narrow, 
citiih  Temper, and  feci  our  fclves  fo  much  untouch'd 
vvith  the  infinite  Grcatnefs  and  Glory  of  the  Deity, 
2nd  fo  little  intercfted  in,  and  concerned  for  the 
Honour  of  his  great  Name,  and  thccverlafting  Efta- 
blifhmentof  his  Authority,  and  general  Good  of  the 
moral  Syftem,  we  cannot  but  be  fenfible,  that  we 
are  very  unfit  Judges  on  the  Beauty  and  Goodnefs 
of  his  Plan  ;  a$  'tis  eafy  tofee,thc  Ifraelites  were,  on 
theWifdomand  Bcautyof  God'sCondudl  with  them 
m  the  Wildernefs.  They  were  too  ]ow-fpirited,and 
of  too  mean  and  felfifn  Views,  to  be  ftruck  with  the 
Beauty  of  thofe  noble  and  God-like  Defigns,  God 
'ad  in  View,  in  their  Separation  from  the  Reft  of  the 
V/orld.  To  God  it  appeared  of  vaft  Importance, 
as  Things  were  then  fituate  in  the  World,  to  give  a 
Check  to  the  univerfal  Spread  of  Idolatry  and  Igno- 
rance, and  to  revive  the  Knowledge  of  the  true  God, 
2nd  of  the  true  Religion.  And  in  a  View  to  thefe 
noble  Ends,  all  his  Conduit  in  Eg^'pt,  at  the  Red- 
fea»  and  in  the  V/ildcrnefs,  appeared  to  him  perfedly 
wife  and  beautiful.  To  the  Ifraelites,  nothing  ap- 
peared of  Importance,  but  that  their  Intereft,  Eaic 
and  Comfort  fliouldbe  confuted,  and  provided  for: 
Whhch  not  being  done  to  their  Minds  in  the  Wil- 
dernefs, they  heartily  repented  they  ever  hearkened 
toMofes,  or  ever  left  Egypt,and  would  have  dcfert- 
cdMofes,  made  a  Captain,  and  returned,  had  not 
Almightinefs  interpoied  :  And  the  IdcJ?.,  LcakS) 
Onions  and  Fiefh  Pots  of  Egypt,  would  have  given 
them  CoritcP-t  j  while  the  Name  of  the  God  of 
Abraham  funk  intouniverfalConttiriptby  theMeant, 
imong  all  Nations,  and  Idolatry  became  move  efta- 
bliftied  than  ever;  as  it  w'ould  have  done,  had  they 
dcierted  Mofes^  and  rct^irned,  as  was  by  them  pro- 

pofcd. 


in  ths  PcrmiJJiQfi  of'Sl^.  117 

pofdd. Now 'tis  plain,  this  people  were  no  pro- 
per Judges  of  theWifdomand  Beauty  of  God's  Con-' 
dudt.  They  were  of  fo  ill  a  Tafte,  and  their  Tem- 
per was  fo  different  from  God's,  that  they  would 
naturally  be  blind  to  the  Beauty  of  his  Ways,  and 
alway  (land  ready  to  quarrel  with  hiin. 

Had  their  Temper  from  the  very  firft  been  "' 
and  their  Tarte  good,  they  might  have  h?  ' 
cnt  Infight  into  God's  Defigns,  altlio'  ' 
a  full  View  :  I  fay,    a  fufHcicnt  Infi<^ 
Dcfigns,  to  have  difcovercd  a  grea^ 
in  his  Conduet,  in  fuffcring  Phaiy 
and    bid  Defiance,    til   ail    Go 
wrought  in  Ejypt  ;  and   aficr^ 
Heart,  and  purfue  Ifrael,  and 
the  Red  -  Sea  ;  that  there  Got 
er,  and  caufe  his  Name  to  b 
alltheEanhi  that  ifracl  mi^ 
the  Lord,  and    might    in  A 
Children,  and  their  Childrens 
mighty    Works  ;  that  they  n 
Gods  of  the  Heathen  were  no  L 
ever  cleave  to  the  God  of  their  Fa. 

Nor  had  they  the  lead  Rcafon   ai  ..^^ 
from  the  Day  they  pafied  thro'  the  Red-Si;,-5^iy^^  '"  tr  ^ 
like  one  Step  which  God  took  :  nor  would  the)  ^  ^f 
done  ir,   had  they  had  a  right  Dirpontion.     Ye'aV  a 
good  Tafte  would  have  enabled  them    to  have  feeuj 
much  Wifdom.  in  all  God's  Ways.     '*  Here  in  thij 
*'  Wildernefs,  where  there  is  neitlier  Bre^d,   ii 
*'  Water,  nor  Flefn,  even  here  is  a  good  Place  foi 
"  the  God   of  Abraham,   our  Father,  to  Tnew  hi^ 
^^  Wifdom,  Power  and  Gcodnefs,   and  train  us  upj 
*'  to  a  Senfe  of  his  Allfutliciency,   and  bring  us  t< 
"  live  wholly  upon  him,    as   Children  upon   a  Fii- 
^^  ther,  and  to  be  wholly  devoted  to  him."    ThOi 
uight  they  have  thought. — And  in  (lead  oi  mui 

-^ i 


Ii8  T^^  Wisdom  of  God 

iTiurin^  at  every  new  Difficulty,  and.  then  falling 

under  tlieFrowns  of  the  Almighty,  they  might  have 

fpent  their  whole  Time  in   Prayer  and  Praife—tiU 

they  arrived  at  Mount  Sinai— And  while  they  were 

fetting  up   the  Tabernacle — And    v^hilc  the  Spies 

were  gone  to  fearch  out  the  Land.— And  had  they 

^•"  \o^  had  they  been  of  fuch  aTemper,  and  fpent 

■•e  tliUs,thore  14  or  i5Months^an  inPrayer 

'>e  vvholcCon^iLregation  would  have  been 

ivedifrcgardtd  the  tenSpics,and  chear- 

'•"ed  with  Caleb  and  Jolliua,  faying, 

^th  us,  there  is  no  Danger.   Have 

\at  he  did  in  Egypt,  at  the  Rsd- 

ndhe  that  has  done  thefeThings, 

»*,   or  Willingnefs   to  do  whal 

our  Unbelief  and  Perverfenefs 

■  him    to  caft  us  off."    And  fo 

lied  right  on  to  Canaan,  driven 

and  taken    Pofl'dTion. But 

)er  every  Way  the  Reveife.And 

•Jt.     And  it  happened  to  them 

heir   Carcafes   were   doomed  to 

I'nefs — they  behaved  like  wild  Bulls 

.  ■  i  w.Tc  Occafion  — blafphemed   God  — 

atc/imeri  atMofes— tillGod  was  obliged  to  ftrikc  them 

dead  by  Hundreds,  and  by  Thoufands,  fromTime 

to'J'ime,  before  he  could  fubdue  them. 

Now  ''  they  were  our  Enfamples,  and  thefe 
*'  Things  were  written  for  our  InftrucSlIon."  *  Let 
us  take  Heed  therefore,  that  we  do  not  murmur  at 
the  divineConducft  in  the  Government  of  theWorld, 
as  they  did.  Nor  venture  bhfphemouily  to  fay, 
-'  He  has  brought  us  out  of  Egypt   into  this  Wij.. 

-'  dernefs,    on  Purpofe    to   deftroy  us He  has 

*'  fuffered  Mankind  to  fall  into  a  State  of  Sin  and 
'  Mifery,  that  he  migh<  delight   himfelf    in  the 

*'  eternal 
^  I  Cor,  X.  2. 


//;  the  Termljjlon  of  Sx!T.  TTJt 

**  eternal  Torments  of  the  damned."  Whcnas,  the 
IfraeJires  would  not  have  fallen  in  the  Wildernefa,* 
i^.ad  they  not  perverfeJy  defpifed  the  good  Ivand," 
wjiich  flowed  with  Miik  and  Honey  j  and  refufcd' 
to  give  Credit  to  tlie  Revelation  they  had  of  God's 
Readinefs  to  lead  them  into  Canaan.  [And  let  it 
be  remembred,  that  it  was  not  God's  Decree,  but 
their  own  dearly  beloved  Lulls  and  Corruptions, 
■which  influenced  them  to  coiidu(5t  as  they  did. J 
Nor  (hall  we  ever  be  fentenced  to  Hell,  uiilefs  wc 
defpife  the  Glories  of  Heaven,  and  prefer  theLseks 
and  Onions  of  Egypt,  the  Plealures  of  Sin  and  ot 
this  World  ;  and  ib  turn  our  Backs  upon  God,  -iwdi 
refufc  to  give  Credit  to  the  Revelation  made  to  us 
in  the  Gofpel,  of  God's  Readinefs  to  be  reconciled 
thro'  Chrili,  and  to  grant  us  his  holy  Spirit  to 
lead  us  on  to  the  heavenly  Canaan  ;  nnd  rcfufe  to 
comply  with  the  GofpeUWay  of  Life.  And  if  \v« 
do  a^^  thus  wickedly,  it  is  as  reafonable  vve  ^lould 
pcrifh)  as  it  was,  that  the  Carcafes  of  the  wicked 
Jfraelites  fhould  fall  in  the  Wildernefs.  And  a^ 
their  Carcafes  falling  in  the  Wildernefs  was  over- 
ruled by  intinite  Wifdom  for  the  e;encral  Good  of 
*hat  Community,  and  to  fill  the  ....cle  E^rih  with 
his  Glory  :  So  will  the  righteous  Punilnmcm  of  the 
Wicked  eternally  in  Hell  be  over-ruled  to  the  Gooa 
of  the  intelligent  Syrtem,  and  God  will  be  exalted, 
throughout  all  hisDominions.  Read iv^z;. XIX.  i, — 6.. 
The  wicked  Ifraelites  did  not  feel  themfelvcG  to 
Blame,  to  be  fure,  not  much  to  Blame,  for  all  their 
Murmurinjs  and  Rebellions.  '^  Who  am.ong 
*'  Mortals,"  they  were  ready  to  fay,  "  would  con- 
*''  du6l  otherwife  than  we  do,  under  the  like  Cir- 
**  cumJdances  I  We  were  always  againft  leaving 
*'  Egypt,  and  entering  on  fo  wild  an  Expedition, 
*'  God  has  contrived  it  on  Purpofe  for  our  Deflruc- 
^  tion  !  Fools  that  we  were,  ever  to  leave  theFlefh- 
L  3  "  Pots 


",2  0  Tha  Wisdom  of  God 

*'  ?Qi%  of  Ejypt  !  Would  toGod  vre  had  lived  and 

*'  died  there  !  'J  his  had  been  our  hig,heft  Incereft. 
**  Therefore  let  us  make  aCaptuin,  and  return,  and 
**  make  our  Peace  with  the  Egyptians  as  well  as 
^'  we  can,  and  fubmit  to  our  lioudage  tor  ever.'* 
When  therefore  the  Judgments  of  God  came  uporr 
them  in  fuch  a  dreadful  Manner,  they  would  natu- 
rally be  fo  far  from  feeing  thie  Jut^ic^t  or  Wifdom 
cf  the  divine  Corhdud,  that  their  Hearts  would  be 
full  of  blafphemous  Thoughts  againft  God  and 
Ivlofcs  ;  and  the  whole  divineCondudl  would  appear 

dark  and  unaccountable,  to  the  highcft  Degree. ' 

And  in  all  this  they  Ihew  the  very  Spirit  of  unburn- 
bled  obflinatc  Sinners,  who  are  infenhblc  of  their 
iiin  and-  Guilr,  and  Defert  of  eternal  Damnation, 
and  are  ready  to  fay,.  '*  God  brought  us  into  Being 
**  on  Purpofe  to  damn  us.  We  had  no  Hand  in  it. 
**  We  wculd  not  have  chofe  it.  Would  to  God 
**  we  had  never  been  born  !  Oh  that  we  could  re- 
^*  turn  to  NoR-exiftence  I  That  would  be  our  true 
**  Intereft."  And  inftead  of  feeing  the  Wifdom  and 
Jui^ice  of  God  in  his  Difpenfations  towards  them, 
they  are  full  cf  blafphemous  Thoughts,  and  the 
v/hc^^Oi^t^eyi-"  V"^  Condud  appears  to  them  dark, 
^nd   „   '\vuuntable,  to  the  higheft  Degree. 

Had  the  IfraeJitts  been  thoroughly  fcnfible  how 
hateful  their  Egyptian  Temper,  their  carnal  Difpo- 
fition,  their  infidelity,  and  their  continual  Murmur- 
ings  were  ;  and  how  much  to  blame  they  appeared 
ja  the  Sight  of  God  ;  the  Juftice  of  the  divine  Con- 
Gucfl  v/ould,  by  them,  have  been  eaGiy  fecn.  And 
Ihat  would  have  p^epartd  th.em  to  have  feen  the 
"Wifdom  of  his  Ways  too.  "  'Tis  fit,  fuchWretches 
*'  as  we,  Ihould  be  (hut  out  of  the  promifcd  Land, 
and  that  our  Carcafes  fliauld  fall  in  this  V/ilder- 
nels.  And  righteous  art  thou,  O  Lord,  in  our 
"  Dociii,     Wc   iuve  but    our  jufl  peferts.     No 

i'  Wond-r 


in  the  PermiJJion  cf  Sin.  121 

"  Wonder  the  Earth  fwallows  up  fucli  Menders, 
"  and  that  Thourands  are  ftruck  dead  in  a  Moment, 
"  who  arc  guilty  of  fuch  Crimes.  Tne  Honour 
*'  of  the  divine  Maje%  requires  this  Severity.  And 
"  even  theGood  of  ourPofterity  makes  it  neceiTary." 

Thus  would   they    have  thought. Nor  can   un- 

humbled,  obrtinateSinners  ever  djfcern  theWifdom 
and  Beauty  of  the  divine  Government  in  general, 
until  firft  their  uncircumclfed  Hearts  are  humbled, 
and  they  cordially  approve   of  the  Jwftice  of  God's 

Law,  by  which  they  (land  condemned And  are 

"  born  again" As    it    is    written,  "  Except    a 

*'  Man  be  born  again,  he  cannot  fee  the  Kingdom 
''  of  God."  For  it  is  the  '*  pure  in  Heart,"  and 
thiey  only,  that  "  ftiall  see  God."  For  "  the  na- 
tural Man,"  who  is  dellitute  of  a  fpiritualj  holy, 
divine  Talle,  "  difcerneth  not    the  Things  of  the 

Spirit  of  God" fceth  not  tlie  divine  Beauty    of 

tiieLaw,  or  of  the  Gofpel — and  for  the  fame  Reafon 
is  blind  to  the  VVifdom,  Glory  and  Beauty  of  God's 
univcrfal  Plan. — —So  very  blind,  that  the  full  and 
clear  Revelation  to  be  made  of  it  at  the  Day 
of  Judgment,  how  convincing  foever  it  may  be  to 
their  Reafon  and  Confcience,  will  be  far  from  fuit- 
ing  their  Hearts,  Nor  will  \hc  Beauty  and  Ami- 
ablenefs  of  it  be  by  them  ever  difcerned.  For  as 
the  obftinate  Ifraelites,  whofe  Carcafes  fell  in  llie 
Wildernefs,  never  law  the  Beauty  of  God's  Con- 
duct towards  that  Congregation  ;  fo  neither  will 
thofe,  who  die  impenitent,  ever  fee  the  Beauty  and 
Glory  of  God's  univerfal  Plan.— But  in  Heaven  it 
will  be  ken. 

To  conclude.  As  all  the  hard  Thouglits  of  the 
divine  ConduvTt,  which  are  to  be  tuund  in  theFIearts 
of  Mankind,  thro'  a  fallen,  depraved,  guilty  World, 
arife  entirely  fiona  our  partial  Views  an  .  badTafle; 
fo  thjfic  is  no  oihcr  Pvcmedy,  but,  fifll  wi'-\lljto  have 
L  4  our 


i:2  The  Wisdom  cf  God 

our  Hearts  renewed  and  fanaified  by  divIneGrace  ; 
and  then  to  endeavour  to  enlarge  our  Views  of 
God's  univcrfal  Plan,  and  fearch  into  the  Nature  of 
the  divine  Government,  and  the  glorious  Defigns 
and  noble  Ends  which  infinite  Wirdom  has  inView, 
and  will  at  lall  a-ccomplilh. 

And  as  the  Bible  contains  an  authentic  Hiftory 
of  the  Conduel:  of  thi  Deity,for  a  long  Series  of  raa- 
r  ny  hundred  Ye.irs  ;  and  by  prophetic  Reprefontati- 
ons,  opens  to  our  View  Things  yet  to  come  to  pafs, 
as  far  down  as  to  the  End  of  the  World,  and    the 
general  Judgment,   and  the  Confummation    of   all 
'  Things  ;  fo  hither  fhould  we  come,   with    honeft 
,  Minds  and  pure  Hearty,  and  form  ^11  our  Notions 
of  God's  moral  Perfedtions,  the  Nature  of  his  moral 
Government,  and  of   his  Views,  Ends  and  Defigns 
in  all  his  Works,  from   what  we  find  here  written. 
Nor  ought  any  Solutions   of  Diiiiculties  to   be  ac- 
counted right,  but  fuch  as  quadrate  exacftly  with,yea 
are  the  natural  Refult  of,  Scrjpture-Reprefentations. 
SoMi  of  the  Heathen  Philofophers,who  knew  no 
better,  imagined  there   were   two  Gods.     A  good 
God,  tl)e  Author  of  all  Good  in  the  Syilem,  whom 
they  called  Oromasdes  :  and  an  evil  God,    the 
Author  cf  all  Evil  in  the  Syflem,  whom  they  called 
Arimanius.     But  it  is  enough  for  us,  to  confute 
this  Hypothefis,   that   the  Bible    teaches   us,   that 
there  is  but  one  God  ;  and  that   he   is   abfolutely 
fupreme  ;  and  does  according  to  liis  Pleafure  in  the 
Armies  of  Heaven,  and   among  the  Inhabitants  of 
the  Earth  ;  and  that  his  Providence  expends  to  t\G~ 
ry  Thing,  both  good  and  bad. — And  it  is  fuppofed, 
that  tho"i^  remarkable  Words,   in  Jfai.  XLV.  6,  7. 
,dire(5Ved  to  Cyius,  King  of  Perfia,   where  the  forc- 
'mentioned  Notion,  of  two  Gods,  anciently  prevail- 
ed, wered/i5gned  in  exprefs  Contradi^llon   to  that 
,Dodrine  /  *'  I  am  ihe  Lord>  and  tkert;   is  none 
.  ^  "  die. 


///  the  Permijfion  of  Sm.  li^ 

"  elfe.  I  form  Light,  and  create  Darknefs  :  I 
"  make  Peace,  and  create  Evil  :  I  the  Lord  do  all 
"  thefe  Things." 

Some,  who  profefs  to  adhere  to  divine  Revela- 
tion, in  order  to  folve  the  Difficulties  relative  to 
God's  Permiffion  of  Sin,  aiTirm,  it  came  to  pafs  un- 
expecfledly  to  the  divine  Being  ;  as  he  was  not  ca- 
pable of  forefeeini;  what  would  be  the  Condud  of 
free  Agents.  But  it  is  enough  for  us  to  confute  this 
Hypodieus.,  that  we  have  Hundreds  of  Infiances  ill 
i)cripture,  of  God's  Fore-knowledge  of  the  Condu6t 
of  ^Ttzt  Agents,  and  »hat  it  is  a  Doc\rinc  conlfantly 
taught,  and  inculcated  in  the  Bible.  * 

Others,  to  folve  the  Difficulties,  have  aflerted, 
that  it  was  not  in  the  Power  of  God  to  prevent  the 
Kail  of  Free-Agents,  without  deftroying  their  Free- 
Agency, and  turning  them  into  intelligentMachuies, 
uncapable  of  Virtue,  as  well  as  of  Vice.  But  it  is 
enough  for  us,  to  confute  this  Hypothecs,  that  it  is 
contrary  to  plain  Sciiptu'eReprefentations,  wh.ch 
teach  ui,that  tlie  Man  ChrirtJerus,our  fecondAdam, 
vras  a  free  Agent,  capable  of  the  highefl  Virtue, and 
yet  in  aconfirmed  State,  fa  that  he  could  not  fin  ;  as 
are  aifo  all  the  Saints  and  Angels  now  in  Heaven. 
From  whence  It  appears, that  it  was  in  God's  Power 
to  have  confirined  all  Iiuelligences  at  firft  5  and  lett 
them  moral  Agents  notwithllanding. 

Others,  10  folve  the  Difficulties  iVd!  more  fully, 
have  not  only  ailcrted  as  above,  but  alfo  denied  the 
Eternity  of  Hell-Torments,  and  affirmed  the  uni- 
vcrfal  Salvation  of  Men  and  Devils.  But  it  is  eno* 
for  us,  to  confute  this  Hypothefis,  that  inftead  of  its 
being  taught  in  Scripture, it  is  contrary  to  what  thofe 
infallible  Writings  affirm,  in  Language,  as  plain, 
and  exprefs,  and  repeated,  as  could  have  been  ex- 

pecfled, 

*  See  this  proved  at  large  in  Mr.  Ednaard:  on  Liberty, 
Pa^.  98-116. 


124         The  W'lSDOM  cf  Cod,  &c, 

pe6ted,  if  God  had  intended  to  ertablirti  us  ever  fo 
fuiJy  ill  the  Belief  of  the  Eternity  of  Hell-Tor- 
iTjents.     Of  which,   more  afterwards. 

Bur  it  will  be  faid,  "  \i  God  certainly  foreknew 
"  that  Man  would  fall,  unlefs  he  interpafed,  and 
''  undertook,  for  their  Safety  :  and  if  it  was  in  his 
"  Power  to  have  done  it ;  and  it  Millions  would  be 
*«  eternally  miferable  in  Hell,  if  he  did  it  not  :  why 

"  did  not  he  interpafe  and  undertake"  ? Not,! 

dare  fay,  for  want  of  Fore-thoui^ht,  or  of  a  thorough 
weighiiig  of  ilie  Affair,  with  all  its  Comcquences  : 
for  he  liad  had  the  whole  in  full  View, from  eternal 
A^es. — Nor  will  any  pretend,  it  was  abfolutely  with- 
out i.ny  End  at  all  :  for  an  infinitely  wiie  Being  al- 
ways acls  upon  Deflgn. 

'*  Now  God  of  his  infinite  Mercy  grant,  that  b^y 
''  a  diligent  Attention  to  the  divine  Oracles,  and 
*'  thro'  the  illumination  of  the  holy  Spirit,  we  may 
*'  come  to  fuch  an  Underftanding  of  this  Difpenfa- 
*'  tion  of  his  Providence, as  may  tend  to  create  in  us 
*'  the  greateit  Dread  of  Sin,  and  the  higheft  Vene- 
"  ration  for  the  divine  Majcily  ;  and  ihew  us  our 
entire  abfolute  Dependence  on  God,  and  infinite 
Obligations  to  him  ;  that  v/e  may  learn  to  be  per- 
fedly  feif-difBdenr,  to  trufl  wholly  in  God,  and 
live  wholly  to  hjm,  thro*  Jefus  Chrifl  ;  to  whom 
"  be  Glory  in  the  Church,  World  without  End.'* 
Aaizn. 


SERMON 


k 


L 


The  Wisdom  of  God 

in  the  Permiffion  of  Sin. 
SERMON    III. 

Genesis     L.     20. 

TE  thought  Evil  again/I  Me  j    hut  Cod 

meant  it  unto  Good 

WERE  the  fupreme  Monarch  of  the  Univerfe 
an  arbitrai'y,  defpotic  Being,  concluding 
without  ar>y  Regard  to  what  is  fitting  and 
bed,  havipg  no  Rcafon  or  Motive  for  wt^at  he  doth, 
nor  any  End  in  View  ;  all  our  Enquiries  and  Re- 
fearches  into  the  Wifdom  of  God  in  the  Permifiion 
of  Sin,  murt  be  for  ever  in  vain.  If  he  niakcR  his 
Will  his  only  Rule  of  A6lion  ;  and  wills  as  he 
does,  without  any  Reafon  or  Motive  ;  a  Stop,  an 
.  eternal  Stop,  ought  to  be  put  to  all  Enquiries.  For, 
i  no  Reafon  is  lo  be  fought  for  a  Thing,  which  is 
done  abfolutely  without  any  Reafon  at  all. — But  if 
the  fupreme  Monarch  of  the  Univerfe  is  a  Being  of 
infinite  Wifdom,  and  always  chooles  what  is  befl, 
and  does  what  is  moft  fitting,  working  all  Things 
cccsrdlng  r«  /A^  Counsel  of/.\s  own  f Fill  (Eph,  L  11.) 


12^  ^he  WiS'DOM  of  Cod 

then  his  univerfal  Plan  muft  be,  yea,  we  may  be 
quite  certain  that  it  adtually  is,  perfed^  in  Wifdom, 

Glory  and  Beauty. And  now  it   becomes  us   to 

awaken  all  the  Powers  of  our  Souls  to  Attention  : 
and  it  is  worth  our  while  to  dwell  whole  Days  and 
Months  and  Years,  on  this  greatefl:  and  nobleA  of 
all  Themes.  And  if  we  feel  that  the  immenfe 
Greatnefs  of  the  Plan  confounds  us,  and  find  our 
fcives  ftill  at  a  Lcfs,  yet  being  aiTured,  the  whole  is 
perfecft  in  Beauty,  we  will  Jock  into  it,  as  fur  as  we 
can  i  and  haften  to  prepare  for  the  "World  of  Light 
above,  where  the  Glories  of  this  grand  Scheme  will 
open  to  our  View,  and  afford  Matter  of  the  fweeteft 
Contemplation,  and  moft  divine  Delight  thro'  eter- 
nal Ages. Since  we  are  but  juil  emerged    cut  of 

Non-exiftence,  have  fo  very  fmall  an  Acquaintance 
with  God's  World,  and  fo  feeble  and  weak  a  Taile., 
fo  poor  a  Difcernment  of  what  is  moft  beautiful 
and  beft,  it  muft  not  feem  Grange  to  us,  if  we  can 
fee  but  a  little  Way  into  the  Glories  of -the  divine 
Plan.  Yet  knowing  that  it  is  fo  very  exceeding 
glorious,  being  chofen  by  infinite  Wifdom  before 
all  other  poflible  Plans,  altho'  infinite  in  Number 
and  Variety  in  the  View  of  Omnifcience,  we  may 
ardently  long  to  look  into  it,  and  fearch  the  Scrip- 
tures daily,  ftudy  theNature  of  the  Deity,  and  lift  up 
our  Eyes  to  Heaven  for  divine  Light  and  Inlirudion. 
All  that  hath  been  faid  in  the  foregoing  Ser- 
mons, being  kept  in  Mind,  that  we  may  now  enter 
dircdly  into  a  View  of  the  Wifdom  of  God  in  the 
Permiflion  of  Sin,  and  -lay  a  Foundation  for  the  So- 
Jution  of  all  Obje<5lions,  we  muft  look  back  to  the 
Beginning  of  God's  Vv'orks,  and  view  his  Condudl 
from  Step  to  Step,  a»nd  enquire  into  the  Reafons  of 
each  as  we  go  along.  And  God  grant  us  attentive 
Minds,  and  right  and  enlarged  Views,  and  a  good 
Tafte  to  difcern  the  Beauty  and  Glory  of  his  uni- 

verfai 


//;  the  PermiJJhn  of  SiJT.  127 

verfal  Plan  ! — And  let  us  begin  as  theBlbIc  begins. 
For  th^t  beft  oF  Books  is  to  be  our  coaftant  Guide, 
the  Man  of  our  Counfel,  a  Light  to  our  Feet,  and  a 
Limp  to  our  Paths,  in  all  the  Way  we  go. 

1.  A  GRAND  and  noble  Theatre  was  erected 
,'by  God  j  a  (landing;,  vifible  Evidence  of  liis  eter- 
nal Power  and  Godhead  ;  compleatly  furniihed  out, 
as  a  Place  o'  Habitation  for  Man  ;  and  as  the  grand 
St3ge  of  Action,  and  Scene  of  all  God's  wonderful 
Works,  till  the  Day  of  Judgment.— What  Ufe  is  to 
be  made  of  the  material  Syrtem  after  the  Day  of 
Judixment,  fliall  be  coniidered  in  its  Place. 

When  we  read  the  Jiiji  Ferfe  in  Genefis^ — In  the 
Bc'ginning  G^d  created  the  Hsaven  and  the  Earth-^w\t\\ 
what  fellows  in  that  Chapter — Wc  behold  the  whole 
material  Syftcm  arifmg  out  of  Nothing  into  Being, 
by  God's  almighty  Power. — Firil,  it  exills  aCHAos, 
without  Form  afid  voitl^  buried  in  profound  Darknefs  ; 
but,  in  fix  Days,  the  whole  is  fet  in  a  moH:  har- 
monious and  beautiful  Order  ;  a  vifible  and  noble 
Spt^cimcn  of  the  infinite  Power,  Wifdom  and  Good- 
ncfsof  the  great  Eternal. — And  how  know  we 
but  that  the  intelleclaal  Syllem,  reduced  to  fo  near 
a  Refemblance  of  a  Chaos^h'j  the  Revolt  and  prevail- 
ing Influence  of  the  Angels  who  left  thiir  pj)  Ejlale^ 
v\'ill  yet  under  the  Condu6t  of  mtinite  Wifdom, 
even  under  the  Conduct  of  M^jfiah  the  Prince^  ii?.nd 
forth  m  p^rfcvit  Order,and  the  moll  beautiful  Har- 
mony, a  bright  and  noble  Image  of  ail  the  g'oriou5 
Perfections  of  the  tnvifdde  God  ? 

2.  A  Theater  being  erecSted,  proper  to  raifs 
in  intelligent  Creatures,  fublime  &  exalted  Thoughts 
of  Gjd,  in  the  next  Place,  Man,  a  noble  Crea- 
ture, an  intelligent-free-Agenr,  capable  of  moral 
Acilion,  and  a  proper  Subjed  of  moral  Government, 
is  formed  by  God,   and  placed  upon    the  Stage,  as 

^iipud  of  a  numerous  Race,  and  nwdc  Lord  of  ihis 
M  Igwcf 


1 2  3  The  Wisdom  ef  Cod  : 

Jower  World.  <'  God  created  Man  in  his  own 
"  Image,  in  the  Image  of  God  created  he  him  : 
*'  Male  and  Female  created  he  them.  And  God^ 
"  blefTed  them,  and  God  Taid  unto  them.  Be  fruit- 
'V  and  multiply,  and  repleni(h  the  Earth,  and  rub-( 
*'  due  it  :  and  have  Dominion  over  the  Filh  of  th**' 
*'  Sea,  and  over  the  Fowl  of  theAir,  and  over  every 
"  living  Thing  that  moveth  upon  the  Face  of  the 
«  Earth."  G<r«.,L27,  28. 

And  liere  it  ought -to  be  obferved,  and  it  ought 
never  to  be  forgotten  by  us,  that  God,  in  the  Ca- 
pacity of  Creator y  did  well  by  his  Creature,  Man. 
He  was  made  capable  of  knowing,  loving,  obeying 
and  enjoyiri^God  ;  as  alfo  of  feeing  the  Beauty  and 
tafting  the  Sweetnefs  of  the  Fruits  of  Paradife  :  and 
he  had  a  high  Relifti  for  Knowledge  and  Happi-: 
nefs.— -Befides,  he  was  formed  for  Society,  and  h^id 
an  agreab^e  Companion,  and  the  ProfpecSt  of  a 
happy  Pofterity,  who  would  grow  up  and  honour 
and  love  him  as  their  common  Father,  thro'  all 
Generations.  And  he  had  open  to  his  View  all 
the  Glories  of  the  vifible  Creation,  to  infpire  him 
■tv'ith  fublime  and  exalted  Thoughts  of  God,  who 
had  brought  him  into  Exiftence,  and  made  -him 
Lord  of  all  here  below.  Surely,  God,  the  Crea- 
tor, dealt  well  by  his  Creature,  Man,  whom  he  thus 
made  but  a-little  lower  than  theAngels,and  crowned 
with  Glory  and  Honour.  Jnd  Godfaiu  every  Thing 
that  he  made,  and  behold  it  was  fvery  Go9d,  Gen.  1.  31. 
And  therefore, 

3.  Man  was  under  the  greateft  Obligations  to 
love  the  infinitely  glorious  God,  his  Maker,with  all 
his  Heart,  and  to  be  for  ever  in  Subjedion  to  his 
Authority,  and  obedient  to  his  Wiil.  And  thi{8, 
was  not  only  his  Duty,  but  fuch  was  his  Make,  that 
it  would  have  afforded  him  the  moft  refined  Plea- 
fure  and  Delight.     Therefore  let  it    be  repeated 

again, 


in  the  Permijkon  of  Sii^.  I2|^ 


again,  that  God,  his  Cret^r^  bad  done  well  by  his  Crca^ 
ture^  Man.*  And  if  after   all   this,  he  (hould    fall 
from  God,  it  mud  be  his  own  Fault ;   nor  could  he 
any  longer  deferve  thd  Favour  of  his  Maker,  but  to- 
fmk.  under  his  everlafting  Difpleafure.     Therefore, 

Of  Courfe  his  everlaffing  Welfare  muft  depend- 
on  his  good  Behaviour.  And  had  tliere  been  noCo- 
venant  or  Conftitution  at  all,  only  the  mere  Law  of 
Nature  ;  yet  according  to  that,  it  would  have  be- 
come x.\\Qmo/i  Hlgh^  as  moral  Governour  and  Judge 
of  the  World,  in  Cafe  of  the  Rebellion  of  his  Crea- 
ture,Man, to  have  teftitiedhis  hig,hDifplearure  againlV 
hisCrime,in  his  evcrlallingDeftruftion.  ForlhclVage: 
cf  Sin  isDccdh.  The  Honour  of  theDeity  would  have 
called  for  fuch  a  PuniQiment,  as  well  as.tiie  Good 
of  the  intelligent  Syftem,  that  all  might  hear''  and 
fear  and^  do  no  more  fo  Wickedly.  Wherefore 
God,:^he  holy  and  good  Governour  of  the  World, 
exprcily  afllires  his  Creature,  Man,  what  he  might 
depend  upon  in  Cafe  of  Difobcdicnce.  In  ti.e  Day 
thou  eatejl  thereof  tkrAt /halt  jure ly  die.  Geni  II.  17, 
And  thus  alfo  God  did  vjeil  by  his  Greature5Man5. 
in  the  Capacity  of  his  moral  Governour.  He  let 
him  know  his  great  Obligations  to  Obedience  :  how 
much  he  infixed  upon  it  :  how  liighly  he  fl-iould 
refent  his  Difobedience  :  That.he  would  caPi  him, 
not  oj^ly  out  of  his  Favour,  ana  out  of  Paradife,  but 
our  of  his  World  :  Would  even  put  him  to  Death, 
anvi  fend  his  guilty  Soul,  under  the  divine  Difplea- 
M   2  fare 

*  ^i'^ftlon.  IIov/  was  it  pofl^ble  for  Man,  created  in  fjth 

holy  and  happy  Circumllances,  ever  10  Hn  \ 
j^frfMiv.  It  is  thought  by  fome  very  diiBcult.  to  anfwcr 
this  Queflion.  And  had  neither  Argels  nor  Men  ever 
finned,  perhaps  it  might  have  been  thought  an  impoflibic 
Thing,  that  they  ever  fnould  have  finned.  Which  Vicv/ 
cf  the  C\\{^^  I  delire  the  Reader  to  keep  in  Mind,  and 
-mean  while  wait  a  little  for  a  Soluticn  of  the  DifRculty 
fropoicd. 


13^  ^-^^  Wisdom  of  God 

fure,  naked,  forlorn,  undone,  to  everlafling  Defjiat 
and   Woe,   no    Hope   being  given    of  any  Relief. 

Thou   shalt   surely  die. And   what  more 

could  God  have  done,  as  his  moral    Governour,  to 

have  prevented  his  Apoftacy   and  K.uin. If  after 

all  this  he  would  venture  to  difobey,  mull  he  not  be 
iorcver  inexcufable  ? 

4.  God  took  it  for  granted,  thaf  he  had  now  done 
enough,  and  faid  enough  ;  and  might, becoming  his 
Charader,  as  his  Lord  an«l  King,  not  only  demand, 
but  reafonably  cxpc6\Obedience,  &  juflly  fufpcnd  his 
everlafling  Welfare  on  that  Condition.  Yea, he  judged, 
that  as  Governour  of  the  World,  it  became  him  to 
do  fo,  that  he  might  fecurc  his  own  Rights,  and 
maintain  the  Honour  of  his  Authority.  Nor  did  he 
look  upon  himfelt  obliged  to  be  hisKeeper,  and  be- 
come Surety  for  him,  and  undertake  to  prcfcrve  him 
tromSin,bv  h.is  conftantlnterpofition  :  But  judged, he 
might, having  done  enough  h  faid  enough,novv  leave 
him  to  his  ownChoice,as  having  all  needful  Qualifi- 
cations to  render  lum  a  proper  Subjed  of  moralGo- 
vernment,  havingfufhcient  internal  Abilities,  &  fuffi- 
cient  outward  Advantages  to  know  and  do  hisDuiy. 
And     accordingly    God     did    leave    him    to    his 

Choice. He  was  deceived  bySatan's  Lies,— broke 

the  divine  Law,  and  fell  into  Ruin.  As  the  Event, 
recorded  in  the  third  Chapter  of  Genefn^  fufficiently 
proves- But  God  and  his  Throne  were  guiltlefs. 

5.  Our  hrft  Parents  Defign  in  eating  of  the  for- 
bidden Fruit,  was,  to  make  a  furprifing  Advance  in 
Knowledge  and  Happinefs  j  not  by  fuch  flow  De- 
grees as  they  had  before  expected,  but  at  once  to 
become  as  Gods.  Deceived  by  Satan's  Lies,  captiva- 
ted by  thisTemptation,lhcFruit  alfo  appearing  pleai» 
fant  totheEye,  and  good  forFood,thcy  took  and  eat, 

Satan's  DeHgn  was  to  bring  Dilhonour  upon 
God,  Ruin  upon  Man,  and  then  to  lift  up  bimfeif^ 


;/;  the  PermlJfiQn  of  Si)^.  13  I 

exult  and  trlumpli  in  his  Deed.  Bcinj  an  invetcra'e 
Kncmy  to  God,  and  to  all  Good  ;  and  having  a  pc- 
culiarSpijht  atA43n,*nothing  could  give  him  grcaicr 
Joy,  than  to  ruin  a  new-made  World,  which,  as  it 
appeared  to  him,  God  had  created  for  the  Honour  of 
his  great  Name,  and  as  a  Place  of  happy  Abode  for 

his  Creature,  Man  ; to  fee  God's  Creature  give 

more  Credit  to  him, than  to  his  Maker;  to  feeGod^s 
Subject  defert  his  righihil  Su^reign  &  Lord, and  join 
with  him;  to  TeeGod's Authority diiregardcd,  ^chim- 
felf  obeyed  ;  I  lay,  to  fee  God  thus  ddobeyed,  difap- 
pointed,di(l-ionoured,  Man  ruined, this  lower  Creation 
fpoilt,  while  he  himlelf  IS  believed, obeyed, iionourtd,' 
would  pcrfcdiiy  fuit  theDevi/a  Heart,  lb  full  ot  Pride, 
of  Enmity  againft  God,  and  Ill-will  to   Man. 

God's  Defign,  in  permitting  Satan  fo  far  to  {uc- 
cccd  in  this  moft  Helhlh  Attempt,  was,  that  lic 
might  take  Occafion  to  brmg  more  Hofiour  to  Gotl^ 
and  to  make  the  good  Part  of  the  Creation  moi-'^ 
humble,  holy  and  happy.  And  finally,  as  eftcctuaily- 
to  difappoint  Satan  in  all  his  Schemes,  as  was  Pii::  - 
raoh,  when  he  and  his  Army  lay   over-whelmed  m 

.  M  3 xhz 

*  The  Angels  are  appointed  minlftring  Spirits,  to.  niimlldr 
to  ihofe  who  are  the  Heirs  of  Salvation.  (Ke>i>.  I.  14) 
And,  perhaps,  as  foon  as  Man  was  created,  it  wag  revealed' 
to  all  the  Hofls  of  Henven,  that  it  (hoald  be  their  Rm- 
ployracnt,  to  attend  upon  Adam  and  his  nv.Txrous  Race. 
Perhaps  Satan  might  think  this  too  depriding,  for  one  fo. 
fo  fuperior  to  Man,  as  he  perceived  himf^lf  to  be,  to  be 
thus  employed.  And  fo  Pride,  liis  firll  Sin,  ..  ni'ght 
take  Occafion  to  rife  in  his  Heart.  And  to  be-  levenged 
on  Go!  ^ind  Mm, bath  at  once,  he  hid  a  Scheme  forMan's 
,  Seduction  aid  Ruin.  And  from  iha.t  Day  to  this,  h.iih 
never  cciifed  to  duJy  our  Allfchief.  —  if  this  Occadon  of 
the  F'all  of  Angels  is  a  mere  ConjciTtiire,  yet  it  is  the  mod 
prob:iblc  I  know  of  :  .And  what  nukes  it  the  more  proba- 
ble, it  will  accountfgrSjitwi'sgreaiZei^lfoj;:  thcCeftruttio^ 


132  fjThe  Wisdom  of  God 

*he  Bottom  of  the  Red-Sea.  Which  Defign,for  the 
le  Encouragement  of  our  firfl  Parents,  was  hinted 
to  them  foon  after  the  Fall.  The  Seed  of  the  If'oman 
jlall  hrwfe  the  Serpent's  Head,  Gen.  III.  15. 

Wh£n  the  great  Omniscient  fa w,  that  Rebel- 
lion would  break  out  in  Heaven,  and  the  Infe<5tion 
I  each  down  to  this  lower  World,  and  fpread  all  over 
theEarth,  he  practically  faid — ''After  all  I  have  done 
*'  for  them  as  theirCreator,and  faid  to  them  as  their 
**  moral  Governour,  1  and  my  Throne  are  guitlefs, 
*'  — to  themfelves  I  leave  them — and  now  will  it 
*'  be  known,  what  is  in  their  Hearts  ;  and  1  alfo 
*'  will  take  Occafion  to  fhew  what  is  in  my  Heart : 
*^  and  they  (hall  know  that  I  am  the  Lord,  and  the 
*'  whole  intelligent  Syftem  Ihall  be  filed  whh  my 
**  Glory.'*  ('analogous  to  what  is  written  in  2  Chron, 
XXXil.  31.  Dcut.  VIIL  2.  £aW.  X.  2.) 

I.  God  knew  that  it  belonged  to  the  Nature  of 
afl  finite  Beitigs,  to  be  mutable  and  peccable  ;  and 
that  the  beft  might  degenerate  fo  far  as  to  become 
the  worfl  :  no  Being  in  the  Syftem  being  byNature 
immutable,  but  God  alone.  As  it  is  written,  /  avi 
the  Lord,   /  change  net.  MaL  111.  6. 

To  be  by  Nature  immutable,  Is  peculiar  to  the 
Deity,  and  cannot  be  communicated  ro  a  Creature  ; 
becaufe  it  implies  Infinity.  God  only  is  capable  of 
fuch  a  ccmpleat  Viev/  of  all  Things,  paft,  prelent, 
and  to  come,  at  once»  as  leaves  no  ^oom  for  any 
new  Views.  And  his  Views  being  for  ever  exa6\ly 
the  fame,  there  is  in  his  Nature  a  fixt  Foundation 
for  Lumutability  in  all  his  Purpofes  and  Determina- 
tions. Whereas, the  mort  exalted  of  ai-l  finite  Beings, 
being  capable  of  only  partial  Views  01  Things,  are 
conffantly  enlarging  and  varying  their  Views  and 
Profpe6ts,  and  are  liable  to  liave  a  Set  of  Thoughts 
wh'.jlly  new,  which  may  lead  on  to  new  Deierpiina- 
tions  uad  Pui;pu«e5.     And  auiidft  an  infinite  Yaricty 


/;;  the  Permijfton  of  SiN.  i  ^  5 

of  new  Views  and  new  Determinations,  Things 
may  poiTibly  lb  appear,  as  that  the  mofl:  exalted  of 
mere  Creatures  may  make  a  wrong  Judgment,  and 
take  a  wrong  Turn,  and  lb  fail  into  Sin  and  under 
tiie   divine  Dlfpiearure. 

Wherefore  to  God,  who  faw  the  finite  Capa- 
cities cf  finite  Intelligences,  and  their  confequent 
Liablencfs,  as  Things  might  happen,  to  Deception 
and  Apoflafy,  it  plainly  appeared,  that  he  could  not 
fately  depend  upon  their  Stability.  He  knew  liim- 
felf  to  be  the  only  immutable  Being  in  the  Syllcm, 
the  fame  Yefterday,  to  Day  and  forever  ;  but  be 
put  no  Tru/}  in  his  Servants^  and  his  Angds  he  charged 
with  Folly  {Job.  IV.  18.)  or  as  it  is  elfev.'here  ex- 
prefled,  (j^VZ'.  XV.  15.)  He  putteth  no  Trv/f  in  his 
Saints  ;  yea^  the  Heavens  are  not  dean  in  his  Sight. 

And  yet,  for  Things  to  continue  for  ever  ia 
fuch  an  uncertain,  unfettled  State,  mufl  have  been 
undefirable  to  the  immutabieBcing,  who  loves  Im- 
mutability in  liimfclf,  and  the  Image  of  it  in  his 
Creatures  ;  and  loves  to  fee  his  Authority  cdablifli- 
ed,  and  his  Kingdom  fettled  in  Peace  and  everlafl:- 
ing  Order  and  Harmony  ;  and  loves  to  fee  the  eter- 
nal Welfare  of  his  Creatures  on  a  fafe  Footing,  and 
clear  out  of  the  Reach  of  any  pofTible  Danger. 

But  how  much  foever  to  the  Honour  of  God, 
and  to  the  Good  of  the  SyRem  ;  and  howdefira- 
ble  foever  in  thefe  two  Rcfpe(5\s,  it  might  appear 
in  the  Sight  of  God,  that  the  intelligent  Syllein 
fhould  unanimoully  adhere  and  cleave  for  ever  to 
the  Lord  ;  yet,  in  the  Nature  of  Things,  there 
could  be  no  certain  Security  for  this,  uniefs  he 
himfelf,  the  only  immutable  Being,  ibould  under- 
take and  become  Surety  for  all  hisCreatures.  7>.ere 
could  be  no  certain  Depcndance  upon  Creatures, 
left  to  tliemfcives,  how  git af  and  txctilent  fo- 
ever their  original  Powers  ;  becaufe,  after  all,  th«y 
M  4  v'ere 


^4^  T'ke  Wisdom  of  God 

were  finite  ;  and  therefore  muft  have  new  VIewS| 
and  fo  wtre  liable  to  wrong  Determinations.  God, 
•who  was  pcrk'dly  acquainted  with  the  Nature  of 
himfeif,  and  o  fall  created  Beings,  plainly  faw,  that 
himklf  alone  was  by  Nature  ablolutely  immutable, 
and  that  all  created  Int«lligences  muft,  after  all 
their  noble  Endowments  and  exalted  Stations,  be 
ablolutely  dependent  on  him,  not  only  for  the  Con- 
tinuation of  their  Beings  and  original  Powers  ;  hut 
alfo  for  their  Prefervation  from  Sin  and  ApoAacy. 
As  it  is  written.  Then  is  none  gGod,  but  One^ihat  isGad, 
Mar.  X.  18. 

2.  However,  Innocent  holy  Beings,  who  as  yet 
never  felt  the  leafl  Inclination  to  fwerve  from  God, 
but  on  the  contrary  were  entirely  wrapt  up   in  him, 
r  could  not  eafily  perceive  how  it    fliould  be  pofTible 
for  them  to  turn  away  from  the  Deity,  and  become 
Apuflate.     Yea,  fuch  a  Thing  would   naturally  ap- 
pear to  be  impo{rible,as  they  telt  no  Inclination  that 
^  Way,  nor  had  in  View  any  Thing  which  feemcd  to 
■  be  of  the  Nature  of  a  Temptation  to  it.     Nor  was 
it  pQ(rible5they  fhould  feel  an  Inchnation  to  fin, while 
r  innocent  :  for  the  leafl:  Motion  of  their  Hearts  to- 
;  -wards  Sin,    would   conftitute  them  Sinners,  in  the 
j  Eyes  of  perfedt   Purity.     Nor  was  it  pcfTible  they 
'  fhould  feel  any  Force  in  any  Temptation  to  Sin,  un- 
}  lefs  the  Temptation  excited   in  them  fomelnclma- 
L  tion  that  Way  :   for  if  they  felt  no  Inclination  that 
:[  Way, then  tlie  Temptation  would  appear  to  have  no 
\  Weight  in  it.     If  it  weighed  nothing  with  them,  it 
would  appear  to  have  no  Weight  in  iifelf.    So  that, 
as  long  as  they  remained  innocent,  they  could  nei- 
ther feel  any  Inclinatiom    to  Sin,   nor  perceive   any 

Force  in  any  Temptation. Wherefore  it  niuft  be 

,  very  unnatural  to    an  innocent    holy  Being,    to  r.p- 
tprehend  any  Dangef  of  his  ever  turning  from  God. 
Nor  cpuld  he  eafily  b€  brovght  to  know  the  Muta- 
bility 


j?j  the  Perni'iJJlsn  of  Sv^.  135* 

bility  of  his  Nature,  or  ever  to  imagine  It  could  be 
in  his  Heart  to  fin  againtl:  God,  unlefs  left  to  find 
out  the  Truth  by  his  own  fad  Experience. 

^|£t  any  Man  atitnd  to  the  Co^rftitution  of  hi-s 
own  Mind,  and  he  will  foon  perceive  how  unnatu- 
ral it  is,  to  think  our  felves  in  Danger  of  a  Crime, 
to  wh-»ch  we  never  felt  The  leaft  Inclination, nor  ever 
once  thought  of  any  Thing  in-  Nature,  that  could 
be  a  Temptation  ;  yea,  to  xrhich,  whenevef  we 
think  of  it, we  feel  the  greateft  Avx^rfion.  As,  what 
dutiful  Child  ever  thought  himfelf  in  Danger  of 
murdering  his  Father,  whom  he  greatly  loves  and 
honours  ?  And  if  a  divinely infpired  Prophet  (hould 
tell  him,  that  he,  one  Day,  (hould  be  guilty  of  fuch 
a  fhoikirjg  Crime,  he  could  hardly  believe  it.  This 
naturally  brings  to  mind  the  Srorv  of  Hazatl (\n 
2  Ki^Tv.  VIII.  II  — 13.)  who,  when  the  Prophet  told 
him,  how  he  n-ioukj  hum  the  Ji^ong  Holds  of  Ijrael^ 
Jlay  their yiung  Men  with  the  Sword^  and  dajh  their  ChiU 
dreriy  and  rip  up  their  iVonwi  with  Chiidy  having  never 
felt  any  lucliaation  to  fuchBarbarities  toward  them, 
and  not  forefeeing  any  Temptation  he  Hiould  ever 
have  to  coiiimit  fuch  Things,  fo  Ihocking  to  human 
Nature,  readily  aniwered,  Is  thy  Servant  a  Dng^  that 
hi  jhould  do  this  great  Thing  ! — So  when  our  blelTed 
Saviour  told  Peter,  that  he  (hould  deny  him  that  very 
Nighty  he  was  far  from  thinking  it  was  in  his  Heart 
to  do  fo.  Nor  could  the  Predidion  ©f  Chriii  induce 
him  to  believe,th3t  it  would  come  to  pafs.  Y|^,  it^ 
did  not  feem  to  him, there  was  really  any  Danger ot 
it,  as  he  had  no  hiclination  that  Way  i  yea,  felt 
the  grea^eil  Averfion  to  it  And  it  did  not  fcem,that 
any  Thini^  could  teuipt  him  to  it  ;  No,  not  even 
Death  itfelf.  For  he  felt, he  had  rather  die,than  do 
it.  Mar.  XIV.  29.  Jllho*  allJJjiuldbc  offended,  yet  will 
not  I.  Ver.  31.  If  I  JJ)c>uld  die  luith  thee^  J  will  not  ds^ 
tiy  tbfi  in  any  w'fe.     And  this  was  the  Voice  of  them 

all> 


1^6  The  Wisdom  of  God 

all,  tho*  Chrid  had  exprefly  told  them,  AllycJhaUhe 
bffendtd  hccavfe  of  me  tlm  Ni^ht  ;  and  even  contirmed 
his  i*"redi<5tiun  by  an  ancient  Prophecy, — Fir  it  is 
written,  I  willjmiie  the  Shepherd^  ar.d  ihe  Sheep  Jhall  be 
fcattered.  Vcr.a;.— Much  Icfs  would  innocent,  holy 
ijeings,  who  had  never  heard  that  any  one  Intelli- 
gence had  ever  fallen,  or  ever  difcerned  any  X^^^^g 
in  the  State  of  theirMinds  within,  or  in  the  Situatioa 
of  Things  without,  that  had  the  leaftTendency  that 
.Way^but  every  Thmg  totliecontrjiry,— 1  fa-y^much 
Jefs  would  fuch  Beings  be  apt  to  fufptd  any  Danger 
of  their  loifaking  the  Fountain  ot  all  Good,  and. 
turning  Enemies  to  the  God  thai  made  then^.  Nay, 
rather,  1  imagine,  they  would  be  apt  to  look  upon 
it,  as  a  Thing,  in  its  own  Nature,  near  or  quite  un- 
poJible.*         Therefore, 

3-  If  God, in  aSenfe  of  theirMutability,out  of  his 
©wn  mer^Goodn^s  and  lovareiga  Grace,   to  pre* 

vent 

# 

Object.  *«  The  Difciples  were  guilty  of  Sclf-Ccnfi- 
*•  dence,  and  were  to  blame.  Surely  holy  Beings  hav« 
*'  no  blame-able  Self- Confidence." 

Aksw.  They   have  not, The  Oifaiples    might    have 

known  better.  They  had  htard  of  the  Angels  Fall,  of 
Adam's  Fall,  and  of  the  Falls  of  Noah,  Lot,  David,  and 
other  mod  eminent  Men  ;  and  had  had  abundant  t.xperi- 
erce  of  the  Wickednefs  and  Dcceitfjlnefs  of  their  o\\% 
Hearts,  all  which,  together  with  Chrift's  exprefs  rrcdlc- 
tion,  rendered  them  to  Llnmc.  Yet  it  will  rot  follow, 
tl^at  an  innocent  holy  B(jing,  jufl  come  into  KxiHerce, 
full  of  Love  to  God,  leaving  never  heard  of  the  Fall  of 
any,  nor  ever  thought  of  any  Temptation  to  Sin,  is  to 
blame,  beciufe  it  Teems  to  him  Impollible,  that  ever  he 
flioiild  turn  Enemy  to  the  God  that  made  him,  or  onee 
go  contrary  to  his  W  \\\.  •'  How  can  I  do  it  ?"  v.oufd 
he  be  ready  to  fay^  *'  In  all  Nature  tljerc  is  nothing  to 
"  tempt  me  :  but  every  Thing  to  the  contrary."  *  And 
the  more  he  loved  God,  the  more  impolTiblc  would  it 
fcem,  that  he  fhould  ever  revolt. 


///  the  PermiJJioJi  ^  Sm.  1 3  7 

•-rent  their  Apoftafy,anci  the  infinitely  dreadful  Con- 
fequenccs,  which,  in  aGovernment  lb  pertedly  holy 
as  his,  Sin  muft  expofe  them  to,  all  which  lay  opeh 
to  his  View  : — —I  fay,  if  Ood  had  become  Surety 
for  all  Intelligences,  if  the  only  immutable  Be- 
ing had,  in  luch  Circumftances,  undertaken  by  his 
ever  watchful  Eye,  and  the  conftant  Jpfluences  of 
his  Spirit,  to  have  rendered  afl  Intelligences  immu- 
tably Good  ;  alt!\ough  the  Kindnefs  done  th.m,  in 
God's  Account,  had  been  full  infinitely  Great,  \et 
not  fo  in  theirs  :  for  they  wou'ci  not  have  been  in  a 
Capacity  to  have  difcerned  the  Kind r.cfs.  fcarce  at 
all  :  Much  lefs,  to  have  been  fo  thoro'ly  fenfible  of 
their  ablolute  Dependence  on  God,  and  infinite 
Obligations  to  hiiri,as  now,  according  to  the  prelent 
Plan,  the  faved  will  for  ever  be. 

Had  all  Intelligences  been  preferved  in  their 
original  Re(5litude,  and  fo  never  /elt  in  themfelves 
the  leail  Inclination  to  Sin,  but  always  perr'e<5lly  to 
the  contrary,  they  would  have  been  apt  to  have 
thought  it  irapolTible,  that  any  holy  Being  fl^.ould 
ever  depart  from  God  ;  and  io  would  not  have  been 
apt  to  have  attributed  their  immutability  to  God, 
theirPreferver, but  rather  to  th.eirown  inherentGood- 
nefs.  And  fo  their  abfolute  Depend ance  on  God, 
the  only  immutable  Being,  and  their  infinite  Obh- 
gations  to  him,  for  interpofmg  to  prevent  their 
Apoilacy,  would  not  have  been  k^n.  Nor  could 
they  have  had  any  proper  Senfe  of  the  felf- moving 
Goodnefs  and  fovereign  Grace  of  God,exerciicd  to- 
wards them  in  this  Affair.  In  4  Word,  God  would 
not  have  been  exalted  fo  highIy,nor  would  thefe  In- 
telligences have  looked  on  themfelves  fo  infinitely 
beneath  him,  fo  dependent,  (o  much  obliged  j  nor 
would  divine  fovereign  Grace  have  ilood  in  fuch  a 
dear  and  (tnking  Point  of  Light, as  was  really  defir- 
able.     Tiie  Truth  would  have  lain,  in  a  Meafure, 

concealed 


13^  TT-f^  V.'iSDOM  of  God 

concealed,  beyond  the  Reach  of  linite  Capacities, 
there  being  in  Nature  no  Means  provided,  whereby 
they  could  have  com-e  to  the  clear  and  full  Know- 
ledge of  it.  Therefore, 

4.  They  were  not  fit  to  be  confirmed  ;  nor 
would  it  have  been  to  the  Honour  ot  God,  to  have 
coafirmed  thtm,  as  Things  Irocd. —  i  liey  were  not 
prepared  to  feel,  that  they  flood  in  Need  of  this 
Super- CrcaUcn-Qxzcty  (if  1  may  fo  c?ll  it)  not  as  yet 
knowing,  nor,  for  ought  appears,  fo  much  as  luf- 
pecSting,  that  they  were  in  any  Danger.  They  (lood 
firm  within  themfeJves,  nor  was  tlierc  a«y  7'hing 
in  univerfal  Nature  to  draw  them  afide  from  Gc'd, 
as  it  fcemed  to  iiwrn.  And  had  Gcd  then  inter- 
pofed,  it  muft  have  been  to  the«i  an  infeniible  Jn- 
tcr}>ofition  ;  of  which  they  felt  no  Need,  and  for 
v/hich  they  were  unprepared  to  be  Uiank  ul. 

If  God  had  coniuntly  preiervtd  them  from  the 
firft  Stirrings  of  an  Inclination  to  Apoftacy,  as  they 
had  never  heard  of  fuch  aThing  in  all  the  Syftem,or 
felt  any  Tendency  of  Heart  tliat  V/ay,  his  I«ter- 
pofition  murt  have  been  undifcerned  by  them  ;  nor 
couid  they  have  come  to  the  Knowledge  of  it,  un- 
lefs  by  immediate  Revelation  from  God  ;  which,  as 
the  Cafe  A-ood,  they  wer»  unprepared  to  underfland, 
or  attend  to,  as  not  fteling  any  Need  of  it.  A  Re- 
velation in  fuch  a  Situation  wouW  not  have  produced 
the  dcfired  Effcc^fs.  Nothing  could  teach  them  like 
Experience.  And  indeed  this  is  evidently  the  Cafe 
fo  univerfally.  that  it  is  even  become  a  Proverb,  that  . 
Expaience  is'ths  heji  S>cho:ji- Mailer. — So  that  it  fetms 
plain,  tliat  Intelligences,  as  they  were  at  firfl:  created, 
were  not  in  proper  Circuml^ances  to  be  corhrmcd: 
nor  could  God  have  confirmed  them, with  thai  Ho- 
nour  to  himfclf  that  was  defirable  and  fit. 

For,  if  God,  the  only  immutable  Being,  of  hi 
awa  miinite  Goodnefs  and  fovereign  Giace,  (hou' 

w 


.^ 


in  the  Permtjftatt  tf/SibT.  ijf 

flicw  fuch  a  Kindnefs  to  any  of  his  Creatures,  it  was 

iit  and  defirab'e,  that  they  (hould  be  thoroughly 
fenfibie  of  the  Gr.atncfs  and  Freenefs  o^  his  Grace, 
The  Kindnefs  dor^e  to  a  mutable,  peccable  Crea- 
ture in  fcch  a  Cafe,  as  to  the  Matter  of  it,  muft  be 
of  infinite  WorJth  :  it  being  aConfirm^iion  in  ever- 
lading  Happinefs.  And  as  the  Kindnefs  in  con- 
firming a  peccable  Creaturc,mart  be  infi'iitely  grea% 
fo  tiie  Gnce  mufl  be  ablblutcly  free.  God  had  done 
fo  much  for  all  Inteiiigcnccs  in  their  firft  Creation^ 
that  he  was  under  no  Obligations  to  <!o  any  more» 
He  was  abiblutely  at  Liberty.  He  looked  upon  it 
in  this  Light.  And  had  he,  to  what  he  had  origi- 
nally done  for  them  as  their  Creator,  fuper- added 
confirming  Grace,  i.  e.  undertaken,  as  their  Guar* 
dian,to  have  been  their  conftantKeeper, and  engaged 
his  own  Immutability  to  have  render'd  them  immu- 
tably good,  thd  Favour  had  .been  quite  over  and 
above  what  was  due  from  the  Creator  to  his  Crea- 
ture ;  and  fo,  had  been  in  a  peculiar  Senfe  free^ 
Now  for  a  Favour,  infinitely  greats  and  fo  ahfohitcly  free^ 
to  be  conferred  in  ftch  a  Manner,as  that  ihcC^rcat- 
nefs  and  Freenefs  oi'  itihould  never  have  been  lecn  by 
Intelligences,  was  neither  for  the  Honour  of  God,» 
nor  for  the  bed  Good  of  his  Creatures.       And, 

5.  It  was  but  paying  properHonour  to  thcDeity, 
for  God,  as  moral  Governor  of  the  World,  to  take 
State  to  hiQifelf,  and  in  the  Sight  of  all  created  In- 
telligences, to  feat  himfelf  upon  his  Throne,  and 
proclaim  his  own  infinite  Supremacy,  and  cloatli 
himfelt  with  his  proper  Authority,  and  let  all  kiiov/ 
their  infinite  Obligations  to  love,  and  honour  and 
obey  Him,  on  Pain  of  his  everlafting  Difpieafure, 
and  their  everlafting  Baniihment  from  his  glorious 

Pi^icnce. Fo  have  concerned  himfelf  only  for 

his  Creature's  Good,  unfolicitous  for  the  Rights  of 
the  God-head,  in  the  very  Beginning  of  his  Rcig;i^ 


14©  The  Wisdom  of  Cod 

and  when  the  fird  Foundations  of  his  cvprlafting 
Kingdom  were  laying,  had  been  to  countcradl  his 
»wn  Nature,  and  his  chief  Maxims  of  (}overnment. 
And  indeed,  as  he  is  the  great  Being,  and  in  a 
Jvenfe  the  only  Beinj,  all  theCrcation  being  nothing 
compared  with  him,  yea,  lefs  than  nothing  and 
Vanity  ;  So  it  was  fit,  all  Intelligences  rtiould  early 
be  taught  to  view  him  in  that  Light.  And  what 
Xlethod  could  be  better  fuited  to  ihis  End,  than  to 
Jet  all  the  intelligent  i^yllem  know,  thnt  their  ever- 
kfting  Welfare  was  fufpended  on  the  Condition  of 
their  paying  fupreme  Honour,  and  yielding  conflant 
Obedience  to  this  glorious  Monarch  of  theUniverfe: 
in  the  mean  Time  leaving  them  to  their  own 
Kvflecitlon.s^  and  to  their  own  Choice  ;  as  being 
confcious  to  himfelf  of  their  infinite  Obligations  to 
yield  e'verlartingObediejicc  to  his  Law  ? 

And  if,  in  this  State  of  Things,  any  of  his  Crea- 
tures (hould  venture  to  rife  in  Rebellion  againft  his 
glorious  Majefty,  the  Way  would  be  open  for  him 
10  take  fuch  Steps  as  would  have  the  moft  effeflual 
Tendency  to  dilcountenance  Sin,  to  exalt  God,  to 
^liumblc  the  Sinner,  and  glorify  Grace  ;  and  to  pre- 
pare the  Way  for  the  Confirmation  of  innumerable 
A'iUltitudes  of  Intelligences,  inHolinefs  and  Happi- 

refs,  to   the   bell  Advantage.- All  his  gracious 

Plan  lay  open  before  him.     He  knew,  from  Step  to 

Step,  how  Intelligences  would  condu61,and  how  he 

>iimfelf  would  ^nterpofe  and  over- rule,  and  how  the 

.  Whole  would  finally  iilue.     And  he  pra^^VicaJly  faid, 

;  •*  Now  ihall  it  be  known,  what  is  in  their  Hearts. 

\  *•  And  Occafion  fiiall  be  given  to  (hew,  what   is  in 

•  '<  my  Heart.     And  itfliall  be  known,that  I  am  the 

^5'  Lord.     And  the  whole  intelligent  Syftem  fliall 

**  be  filled  with  my  Glory."         And, 

6.  The  State  of  Things  in  the  moral  Syflem  was 
ftct  iuchjiramecliately  afiei*  theCrcation,  aswas  lui-^ 

tabic 


/;/  the  PcrmJJJtOH  sf  Siv.  14 1 

table  to  the  Confirmation  of  Intelligences,  in  a  Way 
af^reable  to  the  Ends  of  moral  Government,  (jod 
inuft  have  done  all  immediately^  and  without  thiir  Jit 
much  as  difcerning  their  Need  of  it.  For  there  wers 
as  yet,  comparatively  fpeaking,  no  Means  of  Confir- 
mation. They  had  not  had  Opportunity,  in  any 
jnllancejto  fee  the  infinitely  evil  Nature  and  dread- 
ful Confequenccs  of  Sin.  Nor  did  it  yet  appear 
what  infinite  Abhorrence  the  Almighty  had  of  Ini- 
quity, by  any  1  hing  he  had  done.  Nor  did  they  fo^ 
much  as  know  their  Danger,  and  their  Need  of  the 
divine  Interpofition.  Things,  therefore^  ,were  by  na> 
Moans  ripe  for  a  general  Confirmation. 

Indeed  God  could    have  confirijied  created  Li 
telligences  then,    but  not   in  a  Way  To  agreablc  to 
the  Ends  of  moral  Government,  z^  afterwards,  /.  c. 
not  fo  much  to  the  Honour  of  the  moral  Govtrnor, 

and  to  the  fpintual  Advantage  of  his  Creatures. 

Wlicn  Satan,  a  glorious  Arch-Angel,  revolted,  and 
drew  off   a  third  Part  (perhaps)  of  the  Inhabitams 
of  Heaven  j  and  when,  for  their  Sin,  they  were  dri- 
ven out  from  the  Prefence  of  God,  down  to  an  eter- 
nal Hell  :  and  when  the  ele^  Au|;;cls  had  flood  by, 
and  with  a  perfect  Aftonifliment  bwhcld   this  unex- 
peded  Revolt  of  iheirCompanians  ;  and  vvith  facrctl 
Dread  {cun  divine  Wrath  blaze  out  from  the  eternal      ; 
Throne  of   Heaven's  almighty  Monarch,    driving    . 
the  Rebcl-Hofl  from  thofe  cele^ial  Regions,  dowa 
to  Darknefs  and  endlefsWoes :  and  when  tl;e  eledt 
Angels,  foon  after,  faw  our  firfk  Parents  turn  away 
from  God,  and  for  their  Sin  driven  out  of  Paradift, 
and  3:11   tliis  lower  World    doomed  to  Death  ;  and 
when  they  had  Aood  by  3  or  40CO  Years,   and  been     \ 
Speclators  ot  the  Judgments  infli-fled  by  God  on  a      ' 
wicked  VVorld,  {tew  the  general  Dtluge,  the  mira- 
culous DeO radian  of  Sodom  and  Cjomorrha  byFire 
from  H;;aven,  the  tzn  Pla'gues  of  tgyi^r,  the  Over- 


tj^t  The  Wisdom  ef  God 

Xhroyt  of  Pharaoh  and  his  Hoft  in  the  Rccl-Sea,  the 
Carcafes  of  fix  hundred  Thou  land  Ifraelites  fall  in 
the  Wildernefs,  and  the  long  Series  of  Calamities 
tvhich  God  fent  upon  his  People  in  the  Times  of 
their  Judges,  and  in  the  Reigns  of  their  Kings,  till 
Jlracl  and  Judah  were  both  carried  away  captive  for 
their  Sins,and  the  glorious  hoIyTcmple  laid  inAlhes: 
and  viewed  all  God's  Ways,even  down  to  the  Birth 
;?nd  Death  of  the  Messiah,  the  moft  aftonilhing 
Event  that  ever  did,  or  ever  will  happen,  thro'out 
*ternalAges  ;  and  beheld  their  fovereignLord,  who 
m  the  Beginning  had  created  the  Heaven  and  the 
JEarth,  and  whom,  from  their  firft  Exigence,  they 
had  worfhipped  as  the  fupremc  God,  as  God  over 
ail  blefled  for  ever,  even  him  ftepping  into  the 
Koom  of  apoftate  Man,  and  dying  in  his  Stead  to 
fjiake  Atonement  for  his  Sin  :  I  fay,  when  the  el€<5^ 
.Angels  had  ftcod  by  for  4000  Years,  atnd  f€Ci>  all 
ihth  Things,  and  had  full  Time  for  Confideration  ; 
their  Thoughts  of  God,  of  themfelves,  of  Sin,would 
be  almoft  infinitely  different  from  what  they  were 
immediately  after  their  Creation.  And  now,  if  God 
ft\o\M  fee  Caufe  to  confirm  them,  that  they  might 
never  fall,it  would  appear  to  them,  aKindnefs  quite 
infinitely  gi  cat,  and  infinitely  free.  Their  kbfolute 
Dependeace  on  God,  and  infinite  Obligations  to 
him,  and  the  infiniteMalignity  of  Sin,  would  natu- 
rally be  fo  deeply  impreffed  on  their  Hearts,  by  an 
attentive  View  of  all  thefe  Things, as  would  greatly 
tend  to  their  cvcrlafting  Confirmation ;  and  prepare 
them  to  receive,  with  fuitable  Gratitude,  aKindncffi 
tf  fuch  infinite  Value,  at  the  Hands  of  God. 

The  Fall  of  their  Companions  in  Holi^cfs  and 
Happinefs,  and  then  of  innocent  Man,  would  natu- 
rally lead  them  to  fee  their  owaMutability,and  makii 
them  feel  their  Need  of  being  held  up  by  him,  who 
u  alone  by  Natureunchangcablc>and  bring  them  toan 

abfolut^ 


in  the  Penmjpon  df  Ziln,  143 

abfoluteDependenceon  him.  God's  permitting  others 
to  fall,  as  great  and  good  as  themfelves^would  natu- 
rally Jead  them  to  fee,  that  God  was  under  noObli* 
gations  to  keep  them  through  their  Time  of  Trial : 
which  would  induce  them  to  have  Recourfe  to  fove- 
reign  Grace,  and  be  always  on  their  Watch.  A 
Sig^ht  of  the  infinitely  dreadful  State  of  Satan  and  his 
Hod,  once  their  Fellow-Citizens,  now  bound  in 
Cliains  of  Guilt  and  Dcfpair,  to  the  Judgment  (>f 
*the  great  Day,  then  before  all  Worlds  to  be  bro't 
forth,  judged,  condemned  and  doomed  to  the  moi^ 
intolerable  Pains  of  Hell,  never  to  end  ;  would  na- 
turally tend  to  realise  to  them  the  horrible  Wick- 
ednefs  and  dreadful  Nature  of  rifmg  in  Rebellion 
againft  God,  and  make  them  tremble  at  the  Tho't. 
And  while  they  beheld  all  God's  Conduct  toward* 
Mankind,  from  the  Fall  of  Adam,  to  the  Death,Re- 
furrecflion  and  Exaltation  of  Chrill^  and  looked 
forward  to  the  final  Conflagrationr,  and  Confummu- 
tion  of  all  Things,  it  would  give  them  fuch  a  View- 
of  all  God's  moral  Perfe<5lions,  fliining  forth  in  hife 
moral  Government  of  the  World,  and  fst  the  iirE- 
nitely  evil  Nature  and  dreadful  Confequences  of 
Sin  in  fuch  a  Light,  as  would  have  the  ftrongeft 
Tendency  to  confirm  them  in  everlafting  Love  and 
Obedience  to  the  fupreme  Being,  and  difpofe  them 
to  receive  at  God's  Hands  a  Promife  of  their  evcr-|- 
lafting  Eftablilhment,  wiili  the  utmoft  Gratitude.    '  '. 

The  Angels,  who  flood,  being  no  where  in  Scrip- 
ture denominated  Elect,  until  after  the  Exaltation 
of  Chrift,  fome  have  thought  they  were  held  in  a 
State  of  Trial  till  then  ;  when  by  their  Confirma- 
tion, God's  eternal  Defigns  of  Love  towards  them 
were  manifefted.  And  it  is  certain,  thn.twhen  they 
had  been  Spe6lators  of  all  God's  Works  in  Heaven, 
Earrh  andHell,  thro'  fo  long  a  Period,  they  mufl  be 
•..  -■'-v.'.a  o«  inHnitely  better  Capacity  to  receive 
N  3  Coniiniaatic 


144  T'-J.f  Wisdom  of  Gai 

Con  fir  ma.tLon,  than  immediately  after  their  Creation* 
And  tfreir  Confirmation:  now  would  be  infinitely 
rnore  to  God's  Honour, than  if  it  had  been  granted 
fit  their  hrll  Exigence  ;  and  rheir  own  Humility, 
tloiinefs  and  Happinefs  be  increafcd  an  Hundred, 
cr  a  Thoufand,  or  perhaps  ten  Thoufand  fold. 
Therefore, 
7.  Om  Suppofitlon  that  a  third  Part  were  fallen 
•^TiA  lofl,  yet  it  is  eafy  to  fee  how  there  may  be 
eiernilly  more  Holinefs  and  Happinefs  in  the  an- 
gelic WorW,  than  if  Sin  and  Mifery  had  been  for 
ever  unknown.  For  if  their  Holinefs  and  Happi- 
nefs be  only  an  Hundred  Times  greater  now, on  the 
prefent  Plan,  than  otherwife  it  would  have  been, 
and  if  we  allow  for  the  Happinefs  Satan  and 
his  Adherents  \o?iy  and  for  the  ftlifery  which  they 
undergo,  yet  what  remains  mud  be  many  Millions- 
more  in  the  whole,  than  it  otherwife  would  have 
been.  *    And  only  let  us  realize   what  muft  have 

been 

■*'  The  Truth  of  this  may  Be  caflly  (cen,  thus Suppofc 

the  Number  of  Angels  to  be  3-. — and  all  remaining  inno- 
cent to  haveoneDcgrec  of  Holinefs  andHappInefs  a-picce  ; 
J       ihe  Sum  totnl  would  be  5  Degrees  of  Hdinefi  and  Hap- 

I       pinefs. But  if  one  falls,  and  the  oiiier  two  iacreafe  In 

Holinefs  and  Happinefs   an  hundred  Fold,    then  tiie  Sum- 

total  of  Holirefs  and  Happinefs  will  be  200  Degrees 

But  if  the  Mifery   of  the  Damned   is    augmented  in    the 
^'       Jime  Proportion  as  the  Happinefs  of  the  BlcfTed,  then  tiic 
^'      JViifery  of  one  loft  Angel  will  be   100  Degree? — befidet 
•       the  Happinefs  he  loft,  which  v/as  fuppofcd    to  be  i  De- 
gree  Now  therefore  fubflrafl    loi,    from    200,    and 

Hf     the  Remainder  wil!  be  99  ;  tkat  Is,  there  \xlll  be  99  Dc- 

ri     grces  of  Happiners  left. And  if  tliis  will  be  ibt:  Cafe» 

tr     v/^re  the  Number  of  the  Angels  fnppofed  to  be  3.,  it  wil} 

»i      a'fo  proportionabiy  in  any  given  Number So  that    it 

t!:ere  arc  but  halt  fo  many  goodAn^sls,  as  t!  crc  are  now 


in  the  Permljjion  of  5i:f. 


M> 


been  the  Refle(5>ions  of  the  holy  Angels,  fromTim;: 
to  Time,  as  new  Scenes  have  opened  to  their  V^icv, 
and  what  their  Reflexions  muft  eternally  be,  whea 
they  have  feen  Cjod's  grand  Plan  finiftied  at  the  Day 
of  Judgment  \  and  we  cannot  doubt  but  that  their 
Humility,  Holinefs  and  Happinefs  will  be  augment- 
ed at  lead:  an  Hundred  fold. 

I.  Reflections  of  the  cle(5l  Angels  on  the  un- 
reafonable  Rebellion,  the  unexpet^led  f'all,  the  evcr- 
lafting  Punithment  of  Satan  and  his  Legions,  once 
their  Companions  in  Blifs. 

"  How  art  thou  fallen,  O  Lucifer,   Son  of  the 

««  Morning  1    From  ftanding  near    the  Throne  of 

*'  God, into  an  eternal  Hell  \  Yefterday  joinin'r  wirii 

*'  us  in  the  Songs  of  Heaven  ;  now  under  the  ever- 

*'  laftino;  Difpleafure  of  God,  banilhed    to  endlcls 

•'  Woe^l  ''  Hovr 

fjppcfed  to  be  of  Manklrxl  Inhabiting  the  Earth,    yet  the 

clcir  Gain  will  be  above  96  Hundred  Millions  of  Degree* 

of  Ha.ppinefs»  more  than  if  all  had  flood  ;  as  will  appcar 

froni  the  fi»Uowing  TaMe. 

K.  H.   The  Number  of  the  prefent  Inhabitants  of  the  Earth 

is  fuppofed  to  be  729  Millions 1   will    fuppofe    tire 

Number  of  ^ood  Angels  to  be  only  300  MiHions,   whiuk 
is  Icfs  than  Half. 


If  all  had  (tood. 


Number  of 

Angels  fup- 

(poftd. 


On  the  prefent  Plan. 


3   -  -   • 

30   -   -   - 

|00    -    -    - 

3 00  Millions 


Proportionable! 
Degrees  of      j[ 
Happiaefs.      )  | 


Nuraber  of 

Angels  Tup- 

(pofed. 


Proportionable 
Degrees  of 
Hp.ppinefs. 


99     -     - 
990     -     - 

990^     -     - 

9900  MihioM 

9900  Millioni 
300  Millions 


j»r" 


Remainder  '9600  Mill<on- 
Cicifcr  Gar 


J 


14^  ?7^  Wisdom  cf  Goi 

«<  How  durft  you  rife  in  Rebellion  aga»n(l  Hca- 
♦<  ven*s  glorious  Monarch  !  And  how  infinitely 
«'  vile  the  Ihocking  Deed  !  What  more  reafonabic 
««  than  to  pay  fupremeHonour  to  the  TuprcmeBeing, 
«'  and  to  be  in  Subjedion  to  the  Autlior  and  Lord 
*'  of  all  Things,  lo  whom  the  Throne  belongs, 
*'  and  exult  in  his  Supremacy,  and  rejoice  in  Him 
*«  and  in  his  Government  I  Or  wliat  more  vile  and 
*«  ungrateful,  than  to  turn  Enemies  to  the  great 
«'  Being,  the  Author,  Proprietor  and  Governor  of 
"  all  created  Intelligences,  and  to  attempt  to  over- 
''  turn  ail  Order  and  Harmony  in  the  SyHem  I — ■ 
^'  For  fuch  exalted  Intelligences,  in  fuch  a  happy 
«•  Situation,  under  fuch  great  Obligations  to  th« 
"  Deity  for  Bounties  already  received, attended  v.ith 
*'  the  Profpect  of  endlefs  Joys  in  his  Prefcnce,  to 
*'  rife  in  Rebellion  thus  !  No  wonder,  Heaven's 
almighty  Monarch,  in  Regard  to  his  ownHonour 
and  the  Good  of  his  Kingdom,  has  baniflied 
^*  them  from  his  Prefence,  and  defined  them  to  be 
-'   everlafting  Monuments  of  his  Wrath. 

"  But,  Oh  how  unexpecfled,  furprifing  and 
fhocking  are  thefe  dreadful  Scenes  I  And  is  it  fo  ? 
And  are  they  fallen  ?  Who  could  have  thought 
it  !--.-Such  hoiyBeings,to  rife  in  Rebellion  againit 
INFINITE  Holiness  ! — So  good  aTafte  forOrder 
and  Harmony,  and  yet  have  broke  the  Orders 
of  Heaven  !  So  l\rong  Inducements,  from  Duty 
and  Intereft  to  perfevere,  that  one  would  have 
**  thought  fuch  an  Apoftacy  quite  impoflible  !  And 
•'  are  they  fallen  ?  For  ever  tallen  and   loft  1"^ 

"  And  what  are  we  I  Were  we  better  than  they  ? 

*^  Or  did  we  Aand  hrmer  ?  Or  were  we  more  out 

of  Danger  ?  Or  more  on  our  Watch  ?    No,   m 

no  wife. — It  once  feemed  impcfiible  weHiould  fa]}. 

'*  But  now  we  are  furprifed  to  fee  we  fiand.— And, 

*  Oh  who  knows  what  another  Day  may  brinp 

4:  \  *'  forth  1- 


in  the  fermtjfion  ef  Sli^*  I47 

"  forth  !— We  are  as  likely  to  be  in  Hell  to-mor- 
*'  row,  as  they  were  Yei^erday  ! — God  is  no  more 
*'  obliged  to  keep  us,  than  he  was  them.— And 
*'  vrha^  if  we  Ihould  fall  !  Oh  how  dreadful,  how 
«'  inhnitcly  dreadful  the  Thought  !— -We  will  all 
*'  go  and  fall  proQrate  before  the  Throne  of  the 
*'  great  Immutable  ;  and  cry,  O  Father  of  our 
*'  Spirits y  of  thy  fiver£ignGrac<y  keep    us,    we   humbly 

«'  pray  thee, Nor  will    we   ever  forget  what  we 

*'  have  feen.  Nor  will  we  cvcrceafe  tow»tch  and 
«  pray." 

2.  Reflections  of  the  EIe(5l  Angel's  on  the 
Temptation  of  Satan,  and  P'all  of  Man. 

"  Oh  the  hellilh  Pride  and  Spite  and  Malice  of 
♦*  Satan,  once  ourCompanion  in  Blifs  \  How  glatHjr 
*•  would  he  ruin  the  whole  Syftem,  were  it  in  his 
**  Power,  and  even  overturn  the  Throne  of  Hca- 
•<  yen's  eternal  King  !— 'How  wicked  a  Deed  hath 
*«  Man  committed  !  and  how  righteous  the  Doofn 
•*  of  our  glorious  Monarch  I  All  who  rebel  agalnft 
**  him,  deferve  to  be  turned  out  of  his  World, 
*'  ind  lie  under  his  everJafting  Difplcafure.— — 
*'  But  what  an  infinite  Weight  of  Vengeance 
*'  doth  Satan  deferve  !  We  rejoice,  the  Almigh- 
*'  ty  hath  decreed  to  bruife  his  Head,  and  fruf- 
**  trate  all  his  Schemes,and  bring  Salvation  toMan. 
«  We  rejoice,that  the  Lord  God  omnipotent  reign- 
"  eth^and  will  for  ever  reign. 

'*  OH  THOU,  who  only  art  immutahle^  behold^  Men' 
*'  is  fallen  !  Weprojlrate  ourjelves  at  thy  Feet.  O  ke  p 
''  tfj,  of  thy  mere  fovereign  Goodnefsy  we  mo  ft  earnejily 
**  and  tiumhly  do  hefsech  thee  !  IVe  claim  no  Right  to  fuck 
''  a  Favour^  Our  felloiv-Creatures  inHeaven^andncw 
*'  on  Earthy  are  fallen^  Thy  Throne  is  guiltlefs.  But^ 
**  0  thouFatber  of  Spirits ^  keep  uSy  of  thy  mere  fovereign 
**  Grace,  thro'  our  Strrte  of  Trial,  to  the  everiafting  Ho^ 
^  mur  of  thy  great  i^amt :  that^  thrS  eternal  Ages,  we 

*'  may 


14^  The  VfisDO}.i  of  Goi 

"  may  celebrate  thy  Pra'fes.—In  ihe  Revelatkn  of  thy 
*'  P^figns  of  Mercy  toivards  falkn  Man^  tve  fee  the 
*'  infiute  Gocdmfi  of  thy  Nature^  and  that  thou  can/} 
*'  have  Mercy  o?i  luhcm  thou  wilt  have  Mercy,  and  at 
"  the  feme  Time  fecme  the  Honour  of  thy  Government. 
*'  IVe  flee  to  thy  fovercign  Goodnefs  for  prefer vingGract^ 
"  nor  vjill  lie  ever  forget  what  we  haze  Jcen^  hor  will 
*'  we  ceaf  to  watch  and  pray. '^ 

3.  Reflections  of  the  cleftAngels  ontheDcatk 
of  Chrili. — Attentive  Spe<5>ators  on  this  folercm 
Occafion,  no  doubt,ahho'  invilible  to  the  furround- 
ing,  infuJting  iMuhirude. 

"■'  This  is  he,  who  brought  theUniverfe  intoEbc- 
*'  iftencf,  and  is  worlhipped  by  all  the  HoUs  of 
*'  Heaven  !  This  is  he,  vvlvo  appeared  to  Abraham 
*'  ?.nd  to  Mofes,  gave  the  Law  on  Mount  Sinai, and 
•^  dwelt  in  the  Jewin^i  Temple  ;  then  in  the  Form 
**  of  God,  nav/  in  the  Form  of  a  Servant :  Jefm  of 
**  Nazareth^  the  King  cf  the  Jews  /  And  tljis  gives  «s 
•*  higher  Conceptions  of  the  divine  Goodncls,than 
•'  €vcr  before  entered  into  our  Hearts.  That  after 
*'  Mankind  had  continued  4C00  Years  in  obftinate 
*'^  Rebellion,  and  given  Millions  of  Inflances  of  an 
*-'  inveterate  Enemity  againil  our  almighty  Sove- 
**  icign,  -yet  he  can  thuj  freely  give  his  Son 
•'  to  diefor  them!~-But,  Oh  theHelhfliTemper  of 
•*  the  furrounding  Crouds,  inlulting  the  Son  o\  God 
**  in  his  lall  Agonies  !  Pulhed  on  by  Satan,  who 
♦*  knows  vvhat  they  arc  doing,  altho'  they  do  not. 
'^''  And  thus  Satan  will  treat  the  God  who  made  him  : 
**  This  is  liis  Heart.  Oh  what  is  there  he  would 
**  not  do,  had  he  Power  on  his  Side  !  No  Wonder 
•*  he  is  doomed  to  eternal  Woes.  Hell  is  Ins  pro- 
•'  per  Place. — And  fuch  might  we  now  have  been, 
**  if  God  had  left  us  to  fall  when  they  did.  Oh  the 
•'•  fovereign  (^racc  of  God  to  us  !  PreferVed  to  this 
*'  Dz^j  iii  ourliitegrity  i  Oh  th-c  dreadfuiNature  i>f  , 


in  ths  Pcrmijjton  of  Sn^,  1^9 

**  S^.n  !  Oh  the  ruined  State  of  a  guilty  WorlcU  fc  - 
**  tluced  by  Satan,  Ihould  Jufiice  uk-^  Place  '  But 
•*  here  hangs  liieir  expiatory  Sacrifice  .:  the  Son  of 
*'  God  dying  in  their  Room  !  The  whole  inti'ili- 
*'  gt?nt  Syftem  now  fees  how  God  hates  Sin  :  and 
•'  how  refolved  he  is,  as  Governour  ot  theUniverfe* 
•'  to  bear  ample  Tellimony  againft  it.  Not  one  of 
•*  the  guiUy  Race  of  Adam  will  he  pardon,  unlets 
•*  his  Son  die  in  their  Stead,  TheCTrcatntfi  of  the 
**  Atonement  fli.^ws  how  great  He  thinks  the 
**  Crime.  Jf  all  the  anp^elic  World  had  been  offer- 
*'  cd  as  a  Sacrifice  of  Atonement,  it  had  been  inii- 
**  nitely  beneath  this.  Yea,  compared  with  this, it 
*'  had  been  Nothing^and  lefs  thanNothing  andVa- 
•*  nity.  Oh  the  inhnite  Evil  of  Sin  !  O  the  infinite 
•*  Greatnefs  of  God  !  How  does  the  f^eath  of  his 
•*  Son  fhew  him  to  be  infinitely  exalted  I  None 
**  fit  to  mediate  between  Him  and  fuiful  Men,  but 
'*  his  Son  I  Nor  any  Blood  precious  enough  to 
•*  make  Atonement  but  hi6  ! — Nor  can  Satan,  wn- 
•*  der  all  his  Woes,  thro'  eternal  Ages,  ever  once 
**  think,  that  he  is  punilhed  in  a  fovcreign,  defpo- 
**  tic,  arbitrary  Manner  :  much  lefs  can  fuch  a 
•*  Tliought  ever  enter  into  our  Hearts  in  Heaven, 
**  while  we  behold  the  Lamb  in  the  midft  of  the 
•*  Throne,  and  remember  how  he  was  treated  by 
•*  )us  Father,  when  once  he  flood  in  the  Room  of 
•'  Sinners.  Nay,  now  we  are  more  fully  convinced 
•*  than  ever,  thit  Sin  really  defervcs  the  eternal 
•*  Punilhment,  which  God  will  inflict.  Oh  the 
•*  infinite  Evil  of  rifmg  in  Rebellion  ajain-t  tfie  in- 
•*  finitely  glorious  and  almighty  Monarch  of  the 
•'  UnivcVfe,  the  Maker  and  I^rd  of  all  !  Oh  whnt 
•*  an  infinite  Kmdnefs,  that  God  has  kept  us  from 
**  -this  infinite  Evil  !  Our  Obligatums  to  him, how 
**  are  they  infinitely  iiicreufed  !  And  after  all  this, 
**  for  us  ever  to  turnApoilates,Oh  how  unutterably 

•*  dreadful'. 


15»  T2^  Wisdom  of  Goi 

**  drea^ul,  quite  inflnitcly  dreadful  the  Thought! 
«*  -r — It  when  the  bon  of  God  arifes  from  the 
*'  Dead,  afcends  to  Heaven,  and  fits  down  en  the 
*'  right  Hand  of  the  Majefty  on  higli,and  becomes 
*'  Head  over  all  the  Saved  from  among  Men,  ia 
*'  vshom  they  will  be  for  ever  fafe,  whofe  Immu- 
•*  tability  will  render  th&m  immutable  in  Good- 
«'  nefs  forever,0  if  he  might  become  ourHead  too! 
*'  How  infinittiy  great  would  be  the  Favour  of 
*<  God  in  this,  nor  fhould  wc  ev-er  forget  the  Frec- 
«'  nefs  of  God'i>  Grace."  • 

4.    R^FLECTlOKs 

*  And  if  on  the  Exaltatton  of  Chrift,  the  EieA  Angels 
were  confirmed,  it  is  cafy  to  fee,  how  they  would  na- 
turally be  a  Thoufand  (if  not  aiMillion)  limes  more  fcB- 
Cble  of  the  Great  nefs  and  Freenefs  of  the  Goodncfs  aad 
Crace  of  God  cxercifed  towards  them,  than  if  they  and 
all  others  had  been  immediately  confirmed  at  tlieir  firft 
Exiftcnce. — ^That  Chrift  is  to-be  Head  -ef  Angeh,  as 
veil  as  of  Saints,  fecms  to  be  int.mite-d  in  Eph,  i.  10. 
That  in  the  Dif pen  fat  ton  of  4  he  Ful-nefs  of  Time  ft  ht 
tni^ht  gather  together  in  one  all  Things  in  Chrifi,  both 
nuhich  are  in  Heaven^  and  nvhich  are  an  Earthy  even  in 
%im.  And  perhaps  the  Confirmation  of  the  EJcft  Argels 
is  what  the  /^polUe  refers  to  in  Col.  I.  19,  20.  For  it 
plea  fed  the  Father,  that  in 'him  all  Fuh;efs  fljould  dnveUy 
mnd  by  him  to  reconcile  all  Things  to  hinfelf  by  hitn^  I 
fay,  nuhether  they  be  Things  in  Earth,  or  Things  in  Kea- 

^fi.' And  'lis  certain, th<a  they  receive  great  Inftra^ion 

from  God's  VVorks  here  on  Eurth.  7  hey  behdd  ihe 
mihrJe  Earth  full  of  the  Glory  of  the  Lord,  Ifai,Vl.  3. 
And  'tis  certain, God  defigned  they  ftK)uld.  And  that  he 
Jkas"  ©rdered  Things  as  he  has,  to  the  Intent,  that  wit9 
Principalities  and  Po^'ers  in  he.nerJy  Places  might  he 
knoivn  by  the  Church  the  vianifold  IVifdom  of  Cod.  Eph^ 
ill.  10.  And  'tis  equally  certain,  ihcy  are  very  >ittcntive. 
For  ihcfc  arc  Things,  which  the  Angels  dejhi  to  look 
mto,  I  Pit*  I.  X2.  Aad  they  hare  the  beft  Adyaatuges 


in  the  PenniJJiQft  0/ Siff,  fjt 

4.  Reflections  of  the  elecft  Angels  on  Ihc  De- 
\ru6lion  of  Antichri'l,  and  on  the  Millennium. 

"  Now  at  Length  an  End  is  come  to  the  long 
=«  Series  of  Mifchief,  which  hath  been  wrought  by 
•'  that  furiousDragon,  that  fubtle  old  Serpent,  onCc 
•«  a  glorious  Angel,  now  of  a  long  Tiine  a  Devil. 
•'  Behold,  he  is  bound,  and  fliut  up, and  C3n  deceive 
"  the  Nations  no  more  !  Behold,  Babylon  theGreat 
««•  is  fallen,  is  fallen  !  Hallelujah  !  Salvation  and 
<«  Giory,  and  Honour,  and  Power,  unto  the  Lord 
<*  our  God  ;  for  true  and  righteous  are  his  Judg- 
es mcnts.  Hallelujah!  for  the  Lord  God- om.nipo- 
<«  tent  reigneth.  And,  lo,  all  his  Foes  fall  betore 
<«  him,  unable  to  refill:  :  and  the  Marriage  of  the 
"  Lamb  is  come,  and  his  Wife  hath  made  herlelf 
"  ready.  And  now  Chrift  (hall  reign  on  Earth  a 
»*  thoufand  Years,  and  all  Nations  lliail  fervehim, 
<'  and  all  the  People  fhall  be  holy,  and  all  (hail 
«  know  him,  from  the  leafl:  to  the  greatell,  and  the 
<'  Earth  fliall  be  full  of  the  Knowledge  of  the  Lord, 
«*  as  the  Waters  fill  the  Seas,  till  the  faved  of  the 
"  Lord  be  as  the  Stars  of  Heaven,  and  as  the  Sand 
**  on  the  Sea-Shore,  innumerable.     Hallelujah! 

This  grand  Event,  which  to  Satan  is  Matter 
'  of  fo  great  Confufion   and   Anguifh,   is    to   us 

Matter  of  the  greateft  Joy.     And  yet  once  SatJrti 

*'  and  his  Holls  were  all  of  our  Number,  and  we 

*'  fang  the  Praifes  of  God  together. — Oh  the  fur- 

O  prizing 

for  a  large  Acquaintance  wuh  thefc  Things,  ss  i/^er  a^e 
miniJiringS pir  it  s  ,f cut  forth  to  minijicr  tothoje  <whoJ7ja'!ke 
Hf'irs  of  Salvation.  Heh.  114.  And  they  deeply  intereil 
themfclves  in  aJl  God's  Difpenfations  towards  theChurch 
on  Earth,  as  is  evident  from  the  Book  of  the  Revelation 
thro'out. — And  they  will  attend  JefusChrill  when  he  come* 
to  jttd,'Te  the  World,  and  fee  God's  grand  Plan  finifhed, 
and  Things  in  God's  Kingdom  brought  to  a  fm»l  Seulc- 
r/)vf  '    :CXV.  31, -46. 


c 


1 5-  TX,^  Wisdom  of  God 


^'  prizing  Change  Sin  hath  wrought  ! — Oh  the  dlf- 
^'  tinguiftiing  Grace  of  God,  which  kept  us  froin 
"  falHng  too,  on  that  dreadful  Day  of  Satan's  Re- 
"  volt  !  A  Day  by  us  never  to  be  forgotten. — Now 
"  Satan  lies  chained  in  the  bottomlefs  Pit.  And 
*'  we  are  in  Triumph,  on  the  Occailon,  around  the 
"  Throne." 

5.  On  Chrift's  fecond  Coming. «'  BehoId,he 

*'  Cometh  in  the  Clouds  of  Heaven,  and  every  Eye 
"  fhall  fee  him,  and  they  that  pierced  him  fliuU 
**  mourn  ;  and  the  bold  and  haughty,  who  once 
*'  bid  him  Defiance,  fliall  call  to  the  Mountains  iind 
*'  Rocks  to  fall  on  them  and  cover  them  ;  the  Crvfh  / 
'*  of  Mountains  being  lefs  dreadful, than  the  Wrath 
"  6f  the  Lamb.  And  now  fliall  the  Scene  clofe, 
"  and  the  Ways  of  God  to  Men  and  Angels  be  ail 
"  juftified  :  And  God  ihall  receive  Glory  from  ail 
^«  nis  Works. 

"  See,  yonder  cometh  Satan,  with  all  his  guilty 
««  Hoft,  trembling,  to  appear  before  the  Bar. — Oh 
*'  never  let  us  forget  the  Day,  when  they  fang  the 
*'  Praifes  of  God  with  us  before  the  Throne  !  How  • 
**  iurprifed  were  we  at  their  unexpedted  Revolt  ! 
'*  We  then  little  tho't  what  was  before  us  :  little 
**  guelTed  what  was  in  the  Creature's  Heart,  or  in 
*'  God's  Heart.  But  now  we  have  feen  both  : 
*'  And  now  we  fee  the  Refult.  God  is  exalted,  his 
*«  Authority  eftablifhed  ;  Satan  and  his  Hoft  are 
*'  conquered,  and  are  now  to  be  fent  away  into 
"  cverlafting  Puniftiment. — And,but  for  the  diftin- 
**  guifhmg  Grace  of  God,  which  has  always  held 
*'  us  up,  we  might  now  have  been  as  they  now  are, 
*'  No  Heart  can  conceive,  no  Tongue  can  ex- 
"  prefs,  the  infinite  Obligations  we  are  under  to 
*'  God.  Of  whom,  and  by  whom,  and  to  whom 
**  are  all  Things  :  to  whom  belongs  Glory  tor  ever 
*'  and  ever.     Amen. 

<*  No\v 


;/;  the  Permijjion  of  Si5r.      J        jj-j 

*'  Now,  therefore,  let  eternal  Ages  be  by  us  all 
*'  employed  in  contemplating  God's  glorious 
*'  Works,  in  admiring  the  Wifdom  ot  all  his  Ways, 
<'  revering  the  dread  Majefly  of  the  Univerfe,  mag- 
"  nifying  and  extolling  his  great  Name,  exultirig 
*«  in  his  Supremacy,  and  celebrating  the  Praifes  of 
*'  his  free  and  boundlefs  Goodnefs." 

It  is  eafy  to  fee, how  natural  it  muft  be  for  the 
Elec^  Angels  to  make  thefe  and  fuch-like  Reflccli- 
ons  on  thefe  Occafions.  And  it  is  as  eafy  to  ii^ 
how  the  Knowledge  of  God  and  of  themfelves  in- 
crckfcs  their  Humility,  their  Dependence  on  God, 
their  Reverence,  Love, Gratitude,  and  Joy,  /.  e.  their 
iioiinef>  and  Happinefs.  And  it  i^  eafy  to  fee,  hov/ 
the  Fall  of  Angtls  and  Men,  and  God's  Conduct: 
on  thefe  Occafions,  gives  them  tlufe  new  Idea's  of 
themfelves  and  of  God.  Had  Sin  and  Mifery  never 
entered  into  God's  World,  they  could  never   have 

lia.l  thefe  Idea's  of  themfelves,  or  of  God And 

if  what  has  been  faid  of  the  Angels, may  be  applied 
to  Mankind,  as  for  Subllance  we  fee  it  may,  and 
thit  too  with  fome  additional  Circumllances  or  great 
Weight,  as  will  appear  in  the  next  Serrncn,  thea 
this  will  be  the  Sum  of  the  Argument — 

So  clear  and  fo  adequate  an  Idea  of  God  ^nd 
themfelves  could  not  have  been  obtained  by  iinite 
Intelligences, thro'  eternal  Ages,had  Sin  aad  Mifcry 
never  entered  into  God's  World. 

But  the  more  clear  and  adequate  their  Idea  of 
God  and  themfelves,  the  more  humble,  holy  and 
luppy  will  the  Inhabitants  of  Heaven  be,  and  the 
moie  will  God  be  exalted. — And  thar,  in  fuch  a  fu- 
perior  Degree,  as  that  more  Honour  will  redound 
to  God,  and  more  Humility,  Holinefs  and  Happi- 
neis  be  in  the  Syftem,  than  if  Sin  and  ^.lifery  had 
b^en  torever  unknown. 

O  7  Now 


>5'4  ^^^  Wisdom  •f  God,  &c. 

Now,  if  God's  prefentPJan  is  in  the  bcftMannfcr 
fuited  to  honour  God,  and  to  increafe  theHumility, 
Holinefs  and  Happincfs  of  the  Syfiem,  tlien  is  l\is 
Wifdom  vindicated.-— For  Wifdom  confilts  in  pro- 
pofing  the  beft  Ends,  and  choofing  the  beft  Means 
for  their  Accompli fliment. — And  thus  God's  Con- 
duct in  liis  grand  Plan  is  analogous  to  his  Conduct 
in  \\\t  four  hijlames  mentioned  in  ihc  fitji  bermon  : 
#nd  the  fame  Reafons  which  vindicate  hi$  Wifdom 
i«  them^  vindicate  him  ia  i\ii%* 


|>j=<X;:-O<^0<XKX>*<>t^^>>'XX>iXX> 


^><x><K>i>cs>^<:^<>0<><><  xx><>c<>*oc<xx>o^-:>«# 


SERMON 


^^■>;x.-<x:.xx>s:x>;xxxxxx;.<><><Kxxxxxx>o;x^ 


The  Wisdom  of  God 

in  the  Permiffion  of  Sin. 


SERMON    IV. 

Genesis     L.     20. 
TE  thought  Evil  aga'iuj}  Me  j    but  God 


in 


cant  It  unto  Good- 


IF  the  holy  Scriptures  are  read  over,  and  viewed 
in  the  Chara6ter  of  axWr^^/u-^,  we  (hail  find  tlie 
Hi/lory  of  the  Deity ^  and  the  Hijfoiy  htanan  Na- 
ture interwovtn  throughout,  from  the  Beginning  of 
Genefis  to  the  End  of  the  Rtuelation ^ii'Wng  up  by  far 
the  greateft  Part  of  thofe  facred  Pages.  Here  we 
fl^aU  fee  the  bright  and  glorious  Characfter  of  the 
Deity,  drawn  in  a  moft  livelv  and  ftnking  Manner, 
in  an  authentic  Account,  written  by  God's  ownDi- 
re(5tion,  of  his  Conduif  from  the  Beginning  of  the 
World  :.  And  at  the  fame  Time,  human  Nature 
piinted   to  tb.e  Life,    in  the  Behaviour  or  Mankind, 

thro'  a  long  Succeffion  of  Ages. x^nd  this  Book 

God   puts  into  our  Hands,    as    the   bed  Means  to 

form  us  to  Views  and  Tempers  fuitable  to  the  hct^- 

Ysnly  VVorid.— And  why  ?— Why  fuch  a  Book,  for 

O  3  fuch, 


Jj 


V5^  The  Wisdom  of  Gol 

fuch  an  End  ?— Plainly,  becaufe  the  Knowledge  of 
God  and  of  our  felves  is  of  the  lail  Importance  to 

the  Hoiinefs  and  Happinefs  of  that  World And 

indeed,  on  our  flrideli  Rcfearches  into  Things,  we 
Ihali  find,  that  our  highefl:  moral  Reditude,  Perfec- 
tion and  Happinefs,  mufl:  arife  from,  and  confilt  in 
an  enlarged,  clear,  lively  View  of  God  and  our  felves, 
and  an  anfwerablePVame  of  Heart.  Let  us  viewGod 
as  he  is,  and  ourfelves  as  we  be,  as  nearly  \\\  the 
fame  Light  that  God  does,  as  our  finite  Capacities 
will  admit,  and  have  an  anfwerablef  rame  of  Htart ; 
and  we  are  at  the  Top  of  that  moral  Perfedion  and 

Happinefs  we  are   capable  of. And  if  therefore 

God's  great  and  univerfal  Plan  is  {o  contrived,  as 
to  put  intelligences  under  the  belt  poffible  Advan- 
tages for  this,  tlien  it  is  the  betl  Plan  poflible.  We 
Lave  before  entered  on  this  glorious  1  heme.  And 
ktthefe  I'hings  be  now  confidercd,  for  the  further 
lUuflration  of  the  SubjedL 

I.  Nothing  can  be  known  of  God,  by  created 
Intelligences,  be  their  Talk  for  divine  Knowledge 
ever  fo  good,  and  their  Capacities  ever  fo  great,  any 
further  than  God  manifefts  himfelf.  For  it  is  be- 
yond the  Power  of  any  finite  Intelligence  to  loolc 
immediately  into  God's  Heart,  as  we  can  into  our 
own,  and  view  and  contemplate  \\\t  divine  Perfec- 
tions as  they  are  in  tlie  divine  Elfence.  Yea,  we 
can  have  no  Idea  at  all  of  the  divine  Eflence.  Yea, 
we  ran  h.ave  no  Idea  even  of  the  Eflence  of  our 
ov;n  Souls  The  utmoft  we  can  do,  by  Way  of 
immediate  Intuition,  is  to  perceive  our  Thoughts, 
2nd  thence  difcern  the  habitual  Inciinations  of  our 
Hearts,  hw:}'.  if  we  could  look  into  Clod's  Eflence, 
and  fee  all  his  Thoughts,  we  might  thence  learn 
l.is  Nature,  without  any  Maniftltation  whatfoever. 
We  might  know  God's  Heart,  by  immediate  Intui- 
tion, as  We  can  cur  own.     But    this  is   abfolutely 

impoHiblc' 


///  the  Permif^n  cf  Si}^,  s^y 

impofTible.  We  carjnol  look  into  the  Hearts  of 
our  FcilowCreatures:  much  leis  can  wt  into  God's 
Heart.  Neither  God's  Thoughts,  nor  any  ot  his 
Views,  nor  any  of  his  Defigns  could  ever  have  been 
known,  had  he  given  n  )  Manner  of  Manifedation 
of  himfelf.  Thole  Thoughts  and  Purpofes  in  his 
Heart  which  he  has  not  manifefted, cannot  be  found 
out.  Greatnefs  of  Genius  is  no  Help  in  this  Cafe. 
Sir  I faac  Newton  could  not  tell  when  the  Day  of 
Judgment  would  be,fooner  than  the  greate(\  Idiot. 
Yea,  as  God  had  not  revealed  it,  fo  of  that  Day  and 
Hour  kmzv  7io  Man  ;  no^  not  iJye  Angels^  neither  the  Sony 
but  the  Father  only.  Alar.  XII.  32.  Even  the  Man 
Chrii\  Jefus,  now  in  his  exalted  State  in  Heaven, 
cannot  'ook  into  the  divine  EiTence,  and  fee  the 
fecret  Thoughts  in  God's  Heart.  If  he  comes  to 
the  Knowledge  of  thefe  Secret*,it  is  by  divine  Com- 
munication :  as  is  plain  from  Rev.  1.  i.  The  Revela- 
tion of  Jefus  Chrift^  which  God  GAVE  unto  Him,  /And 
if  the  moii  exalted  Crearure,bv  immediate  Intuition, 
cannot  look  into  God's  Heart, fo  much  as  to  difcern 
one  fingle  Thought^  then  nothing  can  be  known  of 
God  this  Way. — In  a  Word,  neither  the  Beina;  of 
God,  nor  more  nor  iefs  of  any  of  his  PerfecStions, 
could  ever  have  been  known,  had  there  been  abio- 
Jutely  no  Evidence  at  all  of  liis  Being, or  o{  any  of 
his  PerfeCfions  :  but  ko  Evidence  ever  was  had',  or 
ever  can  be  had  in  this  Cafe,  but  what  originally 
comes  from  him  :  therefore  nothing  can  be  known 
of  God,  any  fuit'ier  than  he,  fome  how  or  other, 
makes  it  evident  to  his  Creatures.  Which  is  what 
1  mean,  by  his  manitelling  himfelf.     Therefore, 

2.  As  ail  the  Idea's  of  God,W!v.ch  a  e  according 
to  Truth,  in  the  whole  in-eJiigent  Syltem,  originally 
flow  from  the  Manit'ellation  which  he  makes  of 
himieif  J  fo  the  tsore  dearly  and  fully  he  manifeil-s 
h!raie;t5  the^reater  Advantaj^es  will  there 'w'ternally 
P  4  be. 


Ij8  The  WiSDOxM  of  Cod 

be,  to  make  fwift  Progrefs  in  Knowledge,HumilIty, 
liijlintfs  and  Ha-ppinefs.     Intelligences,  who  areh- 
nite,  can  never  have  an  adequate  Idea  of   him  wha 
.  is  infinite.     Their  Knowledge    may  increafe,   and 
'  their  V^cws  brighten  eternally.     And   the   greatec 
•  their  Advantages  are,  the  fwifter  will  be  their  Pro- 
greis  i  fuppofing  their  Tafte  for  divine  Knowleiigc 
to  be  good.     He  that  is  now  the  lowcft,  may,  Mii- 
lioiis  of  Ages  hence, be  much  higher  inAttainmcnts, 
than  he  that  is  now  the  higheft,  among  all  the  hea- 
venly Hods.     Mean  while,    tbofe  glorious  Chiefs 
may  be  ilill  advanced, almaft  infinitely,before  them. 
But  wiule  all  Ranks    in  Heaven   are    thus  rifing  in 
'  the  Knowledge  of  God,    and  in  all  divine  Attain- 
,  ments,   eternally  rifing  ;  yet  they  can  never    com- 
L  prehend  him    who  is  abfolutely  infinite.     He   is 
}  l\i]l  infinitely  above  them  :  and  they  are  as  Nothing 
':  and  Vanity, compartd  with  him.  Their  Convi6\ioa 
oFthis  wiii  eternally  increafe  :  and   fo  their  Humi- 
lity eternally  &roA^  :  and  God   be  for  ever   exalted 
higher  and  higher  in  their  View.  Which  will  caufe. 
♦'^':'ir  Love  to  his  glorious  Majefty,  Joy  in  his  Supre- 
cy,and  Happincis  in  him  and  in  hisGovernment^ 

Tor  ever  to  augment. And  if  their  Progrefs  will 

.be  in  Proportion  to  their  Advantages,  i.  e.  inPropor- 
tian  to  the  Manifefiations  God  makes  of  himfelf,. 
then  the  fulkr  and  bri2;hter  the  divine  Manifefiati- 
ons,  the  fwifter  their  Progrefs.— Of  two  Intelligen- 
ces,of  equal  Tafle  and  Capacity,  it  is  poflible,  that 
one,  by  having  a  thoufand  Times  greater  Advanta- 
ges, may  make  a  thoufandTiraes  greaterProfic.icncy 

than  the  other,  in  the  fameTim.e. Let  an  Int^el- 

ligence»of  equal  Tafle  and  Capacity  with  the  Ang^- 

Gahritl,  be  creiitcd  on  the  Morning  of  the  Driy  oi 

.  Judgment,  and  be  placed  in  fome  remote  Parts  of 

[  infinite  Space,  at  a  Dil^ance  from  tlie  whole  pnfent 

\  Creation,  aijd  fpend  that  Day  in  foiltary  Contcm- 

|3lation;5 


in  the  Permijjion  of  SiN.  1$^ 

plation,  without  any  Advantage  to  gain  the  Know- 
ledge ot*  God^but  what  muft  neceflarily  refultfrom 
its  awn  Exiftence  and  Powers  ;  and  let  Gabriel  the 
fame  Day  defcend  from  Heaven  with  Chrift,  and  be 
a  Spectator  of  all  the  Tranfa6\ions  of  that  folemn 
Seaibn  ;  and  it  is  eafy  to  fee,  thatGabriel  muft  gaia 
a  Thoufand,  or  ten  Thoufand,  or  rather  perhaps  a 
Million  Times  more  Knowledge  of  the  Nature  of 
God, the  moralGovernor  of  the  World, than  that  fo- 
litary  Spirit.— So  Mofes,  in  about  fix  Months  (viz. 
from  the  Time  he  faw  the  burning  Bulh,  to  the 
End  of  the  twice  fortyDays  he  w^as  on  Mount  Sinai) 
doubtlefs  gained  more  Knowledge  of  God,  than  he 
had  all  hisLife  iong'before,  i.  e.  more  in  fixMonths^ 
than  in  eighty  Years. 

As  God  has  formed  finite  Iri^lligences  capable  of 
Improvements  thro'  eternal  Ages  ;  fo  it  is  reafona- 
ble  to  expe(5t,  that  he  will  provide  thofe  who  (hall 
be  the  Objedts  of  his  everlafting  Favour,  with  the 
beft  Advantages  to  make  a  fwift  Progrefs.  And 
that  Plan  will  in  this  Refpedl  be  judged  the  be(i, 
that  is  moH:  fuited  to  this  End.  That  Plan,  there- 
fore, of  all  polTibie  Plans, muft  in  this  Refpecf  be  the 
be(f,  in  which  is  given  the  fuMeft  and  the  brightelt 
Manifeftation  of  all  the  divine  Perfedtions. 
But, 

3.  The  Apoftacy  of  Aneels  and  Men  has  given 
the  moral  Governor  of  the  Univerfe  an  Opportu- 
nity to  fet  all  his  moral  Perfeftions  in  the  cleared 
and  moft  ftriking  Point  of  Light  ;  and,  as  it  were, 
to  open  all  hisHeart,totheView  of  finicelntelligences. 

The  vvhole  intelligent  Syftem  now  may  fee,whafr 
Go'd  thinks  to  be  his  Due  from  his  Creatures,  and 
bow  jealous  he  is  of  the  Rights  of  the  Godhead, 
ai%d  how  refolved  to  maintain  the  Honour  of  his 
Authority  and  Government. — And  now  the  whole 
Sydcm  may  fee  too,  that,  as  ke  is  God  of  Gods, 

and 


I  So  The  WiSDCiM  of  Goi 

'  and  Lord  of  Lords,  the  original  Proprietor  of  all 
Things,  fo  he  thinks  it  belongs  to  him,  without  the 
Advice  or  Leave  of  his  Creature6,  according  to  the 
Counfei  of  his  own  Will,  to  lay  out  that  Plan  which 
feems  heft  in  his  own  Eyes  ;  and  to  do  what  he 
thinks  beft  to  do;  and  to  forbear  what  he  thinks 
hti\  to  torbear  ;  to  bring  fuch  Intelligences  into  Be- 
ing as   he  thinks  beft  i    and   having   faid  and  done 

i  what  he  thinks  bell, to  forbear  to  fay  or  do  any  more, 
and  ftand  by  and  let  them  take  their  Courl'e  :  prac- 
tically faying,  "  They  owe  themfelves  to  me  :  I 
"  owe  them  nothing."     And  if  they  fall,  he  holds 

'C  himfeif  at  Liberty  to  proceed  with,and  punilh  them 

■  finclly  according  to  Law,  without  any  Micigation, 
*  the  Law  behig  exactly  right  :  fo  that  it  is  Matter 
.  of  mere  fovereign  Gmcc,  to  grant  Relief  to  any  ;  a 
I  Thing  he  may  do,  or  not  do,  as  he  pleafes,  for 
'"'aught  he  owes  to  them.  Yea,  he  holds  himfelf 
'■  bound  to  do  nothing  for  their  Relief,  but  in  a  Way 

(  that    fhall  be   honourable   to  his  Law. Never- 

"  tlielcfs,  while  he  ftiews  fucli  a  Ready  Regard  to 
,  his  own  Honour,  and  fo   inflexibly  adheres   to  the 

■  Rights  of  theGodhead,  as  by  Office  he  is  bound, be- 
ing moral   Governor  of"  the  Univerfe  ;  at  the  lame 

■'  Time,  the  whole  Sydcm  may  fee  too, that  hisGood- 
nefs  is  as  boundlefs  as  his  Nature.  But  thtn  he 
'-( loves  his  Creatures  ihould  know  howtheCafe  really 
^  fiands  J  that  the  Rights  ot  the  Godhead  ought  net 
i  to  be  given  up,  and  that  the  Excrcifes  ol  his  Good- 
linefs  are  abfolutely  free  :  That  while  they  view 
|1  Things  in  the  fame  Light  he  does,  they  may  feel,as 

he  thinks  it  is  fit  they  (liould,  m  iuch  a  Cafe* . 

Hut 

.*  Unless  Property  be  known  and  acknowledged  between 
Man  and  Vlan,  and  the  Boundaries  fixed,  thrre  can  be  no 
R-Oom  for  theKxercifs  of  Generofity  If  myEftatc  is  none 
of  mine,  then  it  is  net  miae  to  give.     If  my  Ncigl^bour* 

may 


h  the  Perm'iJJlon  of  Sin.  1 6i 

BatTime  would  fail, to  hint  at  the  various  Idea's  of 
himfelfjwhich  he  has  communicated  inConfequence 
of  the  grand  Aportacy  of  Angels  and  Men.  indeed, 
he  has  given  Alarei  ials  for  Contemplation,  that  an 
whole  Erernity  cannot  exhauft. 

The  Picture  of  himfejf,  whichGod  has  given  and 
will  give,m  hisCondu6t,from  tlie  Fall  of  Angels,  to 
the  finalConfummation  ot  allThines,is  glerioufly  full 
and  compleat.     He  has  been  called  to  act  in  an  infi- 
nite 

nay  come  and  take,  what,  and  uhen,  he  plcafes  ;  then 
I  have  no  Right  to  withhold  anyThwg.  My  Neighbour 
may  julUy   ihink.  hardly    of  me,  if   I  do  :  And  will  not 

thank  me,  if  I  do  not. But  if  I  have  anyXhing, which 

I  may  call  my  own,  and  to  which  my  Neighbour  has  no 
Right,  then  he  muft  acknowlidfce,  notwithdanding  any 
Cliim  he  ha"  to  make,  I  may  dowhat  I  will  with  that. 
As  the  HouJ})older  in  the  Parable  {Mat.  XX.  15.)  faid, 
//  //  not  laivful  for  me  to  do  nxihat  I  'will 'with  mine  cnvn^ 
• — An<l  if  my  Neighbour  views  my  Property  in  the  fame 
Light  that  I  do,  then  he  will  be  apt  to  view  my  Gene- 
rofity  in  the  fame  Light  too.  And  what  1  offer  as  a  free 
Gift,  he  will  receive  and  acknowledge  as  fach  :  and  feel 
as  is  fit. And  it  was  abfolutely  neceflary,  that  Pro- 
perty fiiould  be  known  and  acknowledged,  and  the  Boun- 
daries fixed  between  God  and  his  Creatures.  And  God, 
by  the  Law  he  gave  to  his  Creatures,  as  foon  as  created, 
and  by  his  Conduct  fincc,  has  effeduilly  done  it  ;  Has 
plainly  faid,  what  was   due  from  them  to  him  :  and  as 

plainly  declared,  that  he  owed  them  nothing. And 

thefc  Boundaries,  fet  up  by  God,  were  they  but  acceded 
to,and  acquiefced  in  byMan,  the  chief  iMatters  of  Contro- 
verfy  between  God  and  Man  would  be  removed,  and 
Things  would  look  fair  for  a  Reccnciliatioi  :  But  while 
Man  denies  his  Debt  to  God,  and  makes  large  Demands 
on  the  Deity,  there  is  no^Hope  of  an  Accommodation. 
For  God  will  denolirti  the  Univerfe,  fooner  than  give  up 
his  juft  Rights,  in  Favour  ©f  his  rebellious  Creatures, 
^lat,  Y.  17. 


l6z  The  Wisdom  of  God 

nite  Variety  cf  Cafes  ;  and,  to  fpeakof  him  accord- 
ing to  the  Language  of  Scripture,  in  the  moft  trying 
Circumilances,  (Read  Ezek.  XX.  5, — 22.)  he  has 
been  tempted  and  tried,  not  merely  40  Years  in  the 
Wildernefs  by  tlie  IlraeJites  ;  but  from  the  Begin- 
ning of  the  World  to  this  Day,  by  every  Nation, 
Kindred,  Language  and  Tongue.  And  has  had 
Opportunity  to  Ihew  his  Heart,  by  hisCondudl,  in 
all  the  inhniteVaritty  of  Cafes  vhi-ch  have  ever  hap- 
pened, among  the  MilJio«s,and  iVIillions  of  Millions 
of  Subjects,  which  he  had  to  deal  with.  Ail  which, 
together  with  all  that  remains  to  be  accomplilhed  10 
the  End  ot  the  World,  will  be  brought  into  View 
snother  Day, and  ferve  to  make  the  Picture  ef  him- 
felf,  which  he  has  given,  very  full  and  glorioufly 
compleat,  in  the  E^s  ot  all  holy  Intelligences. 

Besides,  his  goat  Work,  to  whi<:h  all  his 
otherWorks  beaf  fomeRefpe(5f,is  fo  much  like  him- 
it%  that,  in  a  Mi-nner,  it  gives  his  whole  Picture  at 

once. An  incarnate  Gcd  en  the  Crcfs,  if  the  divine 

Viev^'S,  Motives  and  Ends  are  all  conlidered,  is  a. 
Piece  or  ConducSt,  of  which  it  may  be  faid,  as  it 
was  of  him  that  was  chief  Acior  in  this  Affair — It 
IS  the  Brightnefs  of  God's  Glory ^  ajid  the  exprejs  Image 
cf  his  Perjon,  To  create  a  World,  was  but  a  hnail 
Matter  with  the  Almighty.  With  a  Word  he 
could  bring  Syftem  afterSyltem  into  Behig,with  infi- 
nite Eafe.  But  the  Work  of  Redcniption  by  tiie 
Death  of  his  Son,  fetms  to  be  a  W^ork  equal  with 
himfelf,  and  in  which  he  has  exprellL^d  all  hisHeart.* 

ACTICNJ 

^  The  Scripture  Inforfx*.?  us  of  no  created  Intelligence,  be- 
sides Angels  and  Men  :  much  lefsdocs  it  attempt  to  Vaife 
our  Devotion  by  a -Contemplation  of  Millions  of  Globes 
inhabited  belides  this  our  Earth.  But  according  to  Scrip- 
tare, the  Work  of  Redemption  is  God's  great  Wo:  k  ;  and 
from  /y^//,chiefly,wc  are  to  leamhij  moral Charaderj- and 

'tbn 


s/i  fie  PermJJlort  of  Sl^r.  1 6 j 

Actions  fpeak  louder  than  Words.  The  divine 
Conduct  fcts  his  Pidure  in  a  more  ftriking,  affect- 
ing Point  oF  Light,  than  any  mere  verbal  Defcrip- 
tions  could  have  done,  had  there  been  no  Opportu- 
nity for  Conduct.  When  the  Almighty  adualiy 
banifhed  the  finning  Angers,  from  his  Prefence, 
down  to  eternal  Darknefs  and  Woe,  it  fet  his  Cha- 
ratfter  in  a  much  flronger  Light,  in  the  Eyes  of  the 
Eled  Angels,  than  his  previous  Threatning  had 
done.  And  when  the  Day  of  Judgment  adlually 
comes,  and  the  whole  Syftem  are  afTembled  to  fee 
and  hear,  and  give  up  their  Account,  and  receive 
their  Sentence,  it  will  be  much  more  real  than  ever 
it  was  before  made  to  any  of  God's  Creatures,  by 
any  Defcriptions,  or  Imaginations  they  ever  had. 
And  it  will  fet  the  divine  PerlH^l^in  a  Light 
proportionably  clear,  l^riking  aiiJjHBhg. 

Had  all  Tilings  gone  on  llill  aBpquiet  in  God's 
Kingdom,  there  had  been  no  OcCafic^^i^pr  Oppor- 
tunity for  thefe  Works,  by  v^hich  all4Wl  know  that 
he  is  the  LoRD,  and  the  whole  S\^em  be  filled  with 
his  Glory,  "^ 

Had  the  Poflerlty  of  Abraham  lived  quietly  In  th« 
Land  of  Canaan,  Sz  multiplied  there,for  47oYears, 
the  Canaanites  dying  off  mean  while,  as  the  Indi- 
ans do  in  America, they  might  have  filled  the  Land 
with  a  much  greater  Number  of  Inhabitants,  thaa 
P  whea 

thii  are  wcto  contemplate,  with  the  other  Branches  of  hij 
moral  Government,  as  revealed  in  the  Bible.  And  that 
Love  and  Devotion,  which  arifcs  from  thefe  fcriptural 
Views  of  God  and  his  Works, is  the  fcriptural  Devotion, 
and  infinitely  preferable  to  imaginary  Tranfports.  If  our 
Views  of  the  Works  of  Creanoo,  Providence  and  Redemp- 
tion, are  according  to  Scripture,  we  need  not  raifc  Milli- 
ons of  imaginary  Syftems  of  Intelligences,  to  inflame  our 
Hearts  with  a  divine  Fervor,  nor  have  we  the  Example 
Of  oRc  Saint  in  the  Sibic  to  juftify  fuch  aa  Attempt. 


1^  The  Wisdom  of  God 

when  Jofliua  brought  them  in,  and  no  Jofeph  fold, 
no  Infants  drowned,  no  making  Bricks,  noCarcafes 
left  in  the  Wildernefs,  and  they  Strangers  to  luch 
great  Changes,  Trials  and  Sorrows  ;  but  theti  God 
would  not  have  had  anOpportunity  for  anyof  thofe 
'.vonderful  "Works  which  he  wrought,  whereby  it 
ivas  knozvn  that  he  was  the  Lord,  and  the  whckLarih 
zv as  filled  with  his  Glory,  and  a  Foundation  laid  for 
much  Good  to  thatPeople,  then,  and  in  all  fucceed- 
ing  Generations.  Yea,  to  this  Day,  the  whole 
Church  of  God  reap  the  Benefit  of  thofc  wonderful 
Works,  which  were  recorded  for  our  Inftru(5lion,on 
\vhom  the  Ends  of  the  World  are  come. 

,So,  had  Sin  been  for  ever  unknown  in  th'eSyflem, 
there  would  have  been  noOpportunity  for  the  migh- 
ty Works  wh^jjjjlpd  has  wrought,  fmce  the  Day 
he  drove  th^jPUKe  Angels  out  of  Heaven,  and 
our  firil:  Parenj£jjp  of  Paradife,  and  will  yet  work 
to  the  Endaf  Trnie,  and  linal  Confummation  of  all 
Things,  .flitwhich  put  together,  will  give  the  moft 
full  and  cotripleat,  the  moft  clear  and  ftriking  Pi.c- 
ture  of  the  divine  Nature,  for  the  Contemplation 
and  Inftrudioa  of  the  Inhabitants  of  Heaven,  thro' 
eternal  Ages. 

4.  While  God  forbears  to  intcrpofCi  and  hinder 
the  j^noftacy  of  finite  Intelligences,  being  abfolutely 
unobliged  to  fay  or  do  any  more  than  he  had  faid 
and  done  ;  and  while,  being  left  to  their  own  free 
Choice,  a  Number  of  the  Angels  in  Heaven,  and 
Man  upon  Earth,  rebel ;  and  being  left  to  them- 
felves,  all  the  fallen  Angels,  and  great  Numbers  of 
fallen  Men,go  on  in  theirRebellion,  acfling  our  their 
Hearts,  and  exhibiting  their  Pi6ture  in  their  Con- 
du6V,  thro'  a  long  Succeflion  of  Ages  ;  they  plainly 
riiew  what  all  finite  Intelligences  in  Heaven  and 
©n  Earth  might  kave  come  to,  if  they  had  not  been 
|)reYcnted  by  the  naere  free  Gr^ce  of  the  only  im- 

snutable 


//;  the  Permijpon  of  SiN.  1 6^ 

mutable  Being.  Meanwhile,  God,  as  has  been 
faid,  in  his  Conduct,  fets  his  own  Characler  in  the 
cleareft  and  fulleft  Light.  And  fo  all  holy  IntelH- 
gences  will,  thro'  eternal  Ages,  have  the  Advanta- 
ges of  thefe  two  compleat  Pictures  ;  the  Pidure  that 
God  has  exlubited  of  himfelf,  and  the Pi(5\ure  which 
fallen  Creatares  have  c^:hibited  of  themfelves,  fa 
ailift  them  to  a  clear  View  and  realizing  Senfe  of 
what  God  is,  aid  of  what  they  might  have  been. 
Jufl  as  the  pious  Jews  in  the  earthly  Canaan,  when 
they  reviewed  the  Condudt  of  God  towards  their 
Fore-fathers,  and  their  ConduL^  towards  him,  had 
the  Picture  of  each  before  their  Kyes,  for  their  Jn- 
Aruclion  from  Age  to  Age.  Which  leads  me  lo- 
an:)ther  Thought. 

5.  At  the  End  of  thefe  forty  ^aff,  Mofes  af- 
fembles  the  whole  Congregation «p,  Ifra^l  in  thc- 
Piains  of  Moab  ;  and,  that  they  rmght  be  under 
the  better  Advantages  to  reap  tiVe  i]enefif\>f  all  paft 
•Tranfacf^ions,  now  juil:  as  they  are  entering  into 
the  holy  Land,  he  rchcurfcs  a!l  G(As  Condua  to- 
wards them,  and  all  theirCondudt  tow'ards  iiim,and 
Jabours  deeply  to  imprefs  a  Senfe  of  both  on  their 
Hearts  :  So  at  the  linaiConfummation-of  allThinf^s, 
the  whole  intel!ic!;ent  Syftem  will  bealTcmbled,  and 
ail  paft  Things  be  opened,  all  God's  Condu(^l  to- 
wards his  Creatures,  an,d  aU  their  Condu6t  towarvis 
him  ;  and  that  in  fuch  a  Manner,  as  will  make  Uic 
deepeft  Impreffions  on  all  that  great  Aflembly. 

But  as  this  will  be  a  mod  folcmn  Day,  and  per- 
haps the  moft  important  Day  that  ever  did  or  ever 
will  happen,  and  a  Day  on  which  great  I>ight  will 
be  given  to  God's  univerfal  Plan  ;  fo  It  may  not  be 
amii's  to  ftop  here  a- while,  and  confider,  Who  is  t© 

be  the  Judge and  who  Ihall  be  prefent   in   that 

great  Aflcmbly and  what  will    be  brought  into 

View— and  what  will  be  the  linal  Seatence  prcnoi  n^ 
F  2  c.. 


X66  The  Wisdom  of  Goi 

ced  on  the  Wicked— and  what  will  be  the  virible 
Conftcjuencc — and  what  the  State  of  tlie  Righteous 
when  all  is  over—  and  what  mul\  be  their  Rtfledi- 
cns  upon  the  whole. 

1.  The  MEssiAfi,  the  Son  of  God,  the  Seed  of 
ihe  Woman,  will  be  the  Judge.  So  great  was  his 
2^eal  for  the  Honour  of  God,  and  Concern  for  the 
t)alvation  of  loft  Sinners,  that  he  offered  to  under- 
take to  fruftrate  Satan's  Scheme  \  and  on  theCrofs, 
at  t!ie  Expence  of  his  Life,  he  entirely  dilconcerted 
the  Plan  the  Devil  had  laid,  and  fapped  the  Foun- 
tlation  of  his  Kingdom  j  opening  a  Way,  in  which 
Glory  might  come  to  God,  and  Salvation  to  fallen 
Man.  "Which  fo  pleafed  the  eternal  Father,that  he 
gave  him,  for  his  Reward,  the  very  Thing  hisHeart 
was  chiefly  f^  €bon  ;  even,  full  Power  and  Autho- 
rity, compleariy%  accomplilh  his  Defign.  Meffiah 
took.  theThrorfe,  and,  at  the  Headof  theUniverfe, 
conducted  all  Things  from  that  Day  and  forward, 
with  his  End  in  conftantView,  till  Satan's  Kingdom 
was  deftroyed,  and  he  liad  reigned  onEarth  a  thou- 
sand Years.  And  having  feen  of  the  Travail  of  his 
Soul  to  his  Satisfadion,  in  the  Recovery  of  a  great 
Multitude  of  the  human  Race,  a  Multitude  like  the 
Stars  of  Heaven,  and  as  the  Sands  on  the  Sea- Shore 
innumerable  ;  now  he  comes  to  caufe  ftrid  Juftice 
to  take  Place  on  all  the  obftinate  Adherents  to  Sa- 
tan's Intercft.  Behold,  he  comcth  in  theClouds  of 
Heaven,  and  every  Eye  (hall  fee  him,  and  the  fatal, 
the  finifhing  Stroke  (hall  be  laid  full  on  tiieold  Ser- 
pent's Head Which  fhall  be  done  in  the  moft 

public  Manner. For 

2.  The  whole  intelligent  Sy(\em  (hallbe  prefent. 
The  holy  Angels,  once  Satan's  Companions  in 
Heaven^  (hall  now  defcend  in  Glory  and  Joy,  at- 
tending the  righteous  Judge.  And  with  them  the 
Saints  fhaij  come  from  the  upperWorldjUnd  receive 

their 


///  the  Penn'iJJton  of  Sh^.  i ^7 

their  Bodiesjckr'ous  and  immortaK  rr.ii*ed  by  their 
a'mighty  Savioui .  Mean  \^hlIe,  the  Saints  onEnrtli 
(hall  be  changed,  and  caught  up  to  meet  the  Lr.rd 
in  the  Air.  Tiien  Earth  and  Sea,  Death  and  Hell 
fhall  give  u[)  theirDead  ;  and  all  Kindreds,Nations, 
Languages  and  Tonguts,  Ihall  be  gathered  to  the 
Bar.  And  Sat.m  and  his  Hofts,  who  of  a  longTiUie 
have  been  in  Chains^  rcferved  to  the  Judgrrjent  of 
the  great  D.iy,lhall  be  forced,  guilty  and  trembling, 
to  {land  forth  \n  the  Si^ht  of  the  whole  Creation. 
And  now, 

3.  The  HlOory  of  the  grand  Rebellion  (liall  be 
opened  lo  the  View  of  the  wl^iole  intetliernt  Crea- 
tion :  from  the  Day  of  Satan's  hrft  Revolt,  his' 
Kxpu'fion  frorh  Heaven,  and  Sedu^ton  of  the  hu- 
man Kind,  w  th  all  his  Views  and  Motives,  Ends 
and  Defi^ns,  and  the  M-ithods  by. him  lak^n  from 
the  P^oundation  of  his  Kirigdom  on  Earth,  to  its 
final  De(tru.51ion  :  And  how  apoQare  Men  have 
heai  tily  joined  m  his  Inrereil  ;  and  both,  as  it  were, 
combined  together  to  defeat  the  Defigns  of  the 
Redeemer.  ^U^'^ 

l^HE  Blood  of  the  Martyrs  will  fe  brought  into 
the  Account,  from  t'e  Blood  of  righteous  Abel, 
to  the  Biood  ot  the  laft  Martyr  that  Ihall  be  (lain, 
to  evidence  the  obllinate  Malice  ot  Satan  and  his 
Ad'nerents  :  Who,.rather  than  that  the  R<deemer's 
Kingdom  (hould  be  fet   up,    have    (I'lcd   Rivers    of 

human  Blood. Yea,  the   Son  of   God   himfeif 

has  been  pu»-  to  Death  in  this  apoftate  World. 

All  the-Condua  of  the  human-Race  before  the 
Fl'od,  and  how  their  Wlckednefs  brought  on  the 
general  Deluge  :  and  all  the  Condufl  oi  Mankind 
fi  ice  ;  together  with  the  Mchnds  of  divine  Grace 
fr-^m  th-  Beginning  of  the  World  : — particularly, 
the  Callinij;  of  Ab''aham,  snd  ?!}  the  g'orious  Me- 
thods of  diYine  Grace  with  his  Seed,  from  Age  10 
P  3  Age. 


Age,  till  the  Coming  of  the  Mefliah  :  tog:ether  wilk 
their  pervcrfeCondua  inEgypt,  in  the  WildernefSj 
pud  in  the  holy  Land  :  tlicir  kihing  the  Prophets, 
'jnd  ironing  thofe  who  were  fent  unto  them,  and 
Anally  crucifying  the  Son  of  God,  and  obftinately 

rejcaing  his  glorious  Gofpel  : And  the  Calling 

ot  the  GentiJcs  info  the  Chriihan  Church,,  their 
J><©thnefs  to  leave  t:heir  Idols,  the  bloody  Work 
they  made  among  the  primitive  Prc'eflbrs  of  Chrif- 
ti-anity  j— together  with  aHillory  of  the  Rife  StPro- 
grefs  and  dreadful  Deeds  of  the  grand  anticJiriftiani 
/tpollacy, — will  all  be  laid  open  topublic  Vitw,  ia 
the  Sight  of  the  Creation. 

A^:D  not  only  thele  great  AiTairs,  but  alfo  all 
th'.'  Conduct  of  particular  S.iir  e^s,  it)  every  Age, 
With  every  itcret  Thing,  (hail  be  brought  to  Light 
©n  that   great  Day. 

And  whiie  MeiTiah  appears  in  all  h*.Fathcr*$ 
G  ory,  the  Reafoniiblenefs  of  God*s  Law  and  the 
•ifinite  Grace  of  the  Gofpel  will,  by  his  vnyF^refeme^ 
Le  brought  into  |uch  a  clearView,in  the  Lyes  of  all 
that  great  AiTembiy,  as  will  not  only  flrike  the 
fallen  Angels,  who  have  been  inveterate  Enemies 
to  tlie  righteous  Government  of  God,  and  conftant 
Oppofers  of  the  gracious  DclTgns  of  the  Redeemer, 
int(j  the  utmod  Guilt  and  Confufion  ;  but  alfo  over- 
"whehn  with  inexcufable  Guilt  and  felf-condemning 
Reproaches,  all  the  ioit  Sons  of  Adam,  of  every 
Nation  under  Pleaven.  7  he  Gentile  will  row  (ttl 
kimlelf  Without  Excujt.,  ic  <  recking  the  I  aw  of  Na- 
ture [Rom.  L  20.)  and  -ie  Jew  and  ihe  ChriHiari 
tr.uch  more,  who  havr  Gi mcl  againfl  greater  Light 
and  defpifed  inhniie  (;jscc.  v^o  that  every  J^jotiih 
tviii  be /iopp'J^  2L\\d  -.1]]  Saiaii's  A-cflierents  from  a-. 
Riong  the  hurnaii  Race,  will  ft^nd  guilty  before  God, 
(RoftiAW.  19.)  For,  v,hen  ihcL»  rd  ..^tneth  w.ih  all 
his  heavenly' AtttiiJairis,  torxcc^ire  j'./jrnient  upon 

o  itin«ite 


//;  the  Vermlffion  of  Si!^.  r5^ 

ebftlnate  Enemies,  he  will  convince  all,  and  filence 
all,  who  have  juiVified  thcmi^'lvos,and  fpjkea  many 
htti'd  Speeches  again  ft  him.  {Jufie  14,  15)  For  taat 
dial!  not  only  be  a  Day  of  Wrath,  but  o^  the  Reve- 
latian  of  the  righteous  Judgment  of  God.  (Rom.  I  J.  5.) 
— Mean  whue,  all  holy  intelligences  wiliib^  fully- 
prepared,  cordiiiy  to*pprove,  yea,  heartily  fo  re- 
joice   in  the  final  S-^nrence  of  the  Jitdge. The 

Forc-thdught  of  which  dreadful  Sentence  wilj  fill 
Satan  and  all  his  mighty  Potentates  wirh  Terror 
unutterable.— — /Indth's  Kings  of  the  Earthy  and  the 
great  Men.,  and  the.  chief  Captains.,  and  the  mighty  A4en^ 
who  had  met  Armes  in  the  Field  of  Battle,  and' 
looked  Death  in  the  Face  undaunted,  and  every 
Bond-Man.,and  everyPree- M<Vi  (hall  w'lih  \o  hide  them^ 
jfilves  in  tJje  Dens.,  and  in  the  Rocks  of  the  Mountains  : 
yea,  they  will  wilh  the  Mountains  and  the  Rocks  to  fall 
on  them.,  and  hide  them  fiomthe  PVraib  of  the  Lamb, 
(Rev.  VI.   15.  16  ) 

4,  He  fhall  pronounce  the  Sentence,  DrPARTy 
ye  curfed.  To  which,  all  the  holy  Angels  and  Saints,, 
with  divine  and  facred  Fervor,  will  fay.  Amen. 
Hallelujah.  And, 

5.  No  looner  will  the  S  ntence  be  pronounced, 
"tut  they  fhallvifibly^o  away  ifitd  everlajiing  Punifn- 
ment. — For  God,  who  forefaw  tlveir  Apoftacy  and 
£nal  Wickedncfs, before  the  Creation  of  theWorld, 
did  in  the  Creation  provide  proper  Materials  by 
which  io  Jhew  his  JVrath.,  and  make  his  Power  known ^ 
and  give  an  eternal  Image  of  his  inhnite  Hatred  of 
Sin,  in  tive  Sight  of  the  whole  intelligent  Sydem. 
For  al)^  the  ilarry  Heavens^  and  this  Earth,  are  re- 
fervcd  to  that  Purpoie,  laid  up  in  Store  as  FueJ^: 
referved  unto  Fire^againfi'  the  Day  of  Judgment  and  Per ^ 
ditioti  0^  ungodly  A  fen.  And  the  Heavens  fiall  then  pafi 
away  with  a  great  N^ife.,  rulbing  togetiier  into  one 
gcner^il   Heap  ;  for  the  Heaoem  Icing  on  Fire  Jhall  he 

?  4  dijfolvod^ 


170  ^he  Wisdom  of  God 

tlijfclved^  and  the  Elements,  of  whch  they  are   com- 

I     poi'cd,  fial/  melt  with  fervent  Heaty  and  the  Earth  alfo 

\,  involved  in  the  general  Ruin,  and  the  IVorks  that  are 

therein  ft)n!l  he  lurnt  up.     And  fo  the  whole  material 

Syl^em   ihal    Torm  one   inmienfe   Lake  of  Fire  and 

^B'-imjione^  where  the  Heat  iliail  be  slmoft  infinitely 

r  intenfe,  in  whicii  rhe  Damne^  (hall  weep  and  wail 

and  Rnafh  their   Teeth  for  ever.     For    their  IVorm 

Jhall  never  die^   and  the   Fire  Jhall  never   he   quenched, 

1    (2  Pet.  HI.  7—12.  Mar.  IX.  44.) And  all   this 

'    open  to  the  View,  eternally  Open  to  the  View  of  all 

the  }  n  h  a  u  it  a  n  t  s  o  r  Hea  \  e  n .     For  they  JJiall  he  torrnent- 

\    ed  with  Fire  arvi  Britnft.iie^    in  the  Pre/nice  of  the  hJy. 

''    -rf/z^d'/.f,  and  in  thePiefcnce  of  the  Lamh.  (Rev.  XIV.  lo,. 

;    Ii.j And  tliJs  greuFire  will  eternaljy  be  a  vi- 

^    fible  Kmblem  of  the  Kiercenefs  and   Wrath  of  al- 

'^I'ghty  God^io  jhew  his  fFrath.,  and  make  hii  Power 

::,wn.     As  when  Pharaoh  and  his  Huft  were  over- 

vh;  Imed  ,n  the  Red  SeT, in  Sight  of  all  fhelfraelitcs, 

the  Cod  of  theHebiews^^;^^^^/  his  Pozver.,  and  caufed 

I    his  Name  to.  be  die  tared  through  cut  ali  the  Earth  :  {Exod. 

IX.  i^.^  So  now,  when  Satan  and  all  his  Adherents- 

from  an  apoftate  World  are  ea/r  into  this  Lake  of  Fire 

and.  Brimjioyie^  to  he  tormented  Day  rtn^  Night,  for  ever 

and  evej\{B.£V.  XX.   10.  jit  w^Wfiw.Goiisl'Vrath,  and 

\    make  hi f  Power  knowny  in  the  Sight  of  the  whole  in- 

':    teiligtnt  Syiiem.   (R.m   IX.  22  ) 

5.  The  grand  R.bellion  in  the- intel)c(51i]al  Syf- 
t  tern  be  ng  bicught  lo.iliis  lfTu<  by  Messiah,  the 
y  prince,  whofc  Nan;e  is  King  cf  Kings  and  Lord  of 
^  Lords^  andit/n  End  put  to  this  vifibie  Creation,  in 
vliich  C^  much  Sin  lias  been  commitied,  now 
..  dn(  nied  to  eternal  1  ire  ;  Messiah,  with  the  An- 
l^gels,  hisAttendants,  and  with  theSavtd  ir<.n-i.rmrng 
f^Mcn,  in  Number  like  the  Sands  on  tiie  Sea-Shore, 
\  fhall  afcend  to  the  heavenly  Zicn  Yvith  Singing, 
\    and  entei  into  evcrUiling  Jovs, 

For 


in  the  Permtjfton  of  Si>T.  1 7 1 

For,  as  the  MefTiah  Joved  his  Church,  when  (he 
lay  polluted  in  hef  Blood,  and  gave  himfelf  for  her, 
and  redeemed  her  from  the  Earth,  and  wafhed  her 
in  his  own  Blood,  and  made  her  a  gloriousCiiurch, 
and  adorned  her  as  n  Bride  is  adorned  for  her  Huf- 
band  ;  fo  now  the  Marriage  of  the  Lamb  (hall  be 
celebrated  before  all  the  Inhabitants  of  Heaven  ; 
and  (he  (hall  be  called  The  Bride,  the  Lamb's  Wife, 
(Rev.  XXI.  9.)  The  faved  (hall  be  taken  into  the 
neareft  Union,  and  mod  bearitic  Communion  with 
Jefus  Chrid.  Who  will  rejoice  over  them,  as  the 
Pruit  of  his  Labours,  as  the  Travail  of  his  Soul,  as 
the  Joy  that  was  fet  before  him.  Even  as  a  Bridie- 
groom  rejotceth  over  the  Bride  ;  fo  zuill  he  rejoice  over 
them.  ( Ifa.LXli.  $.)  And  he  will  rejoiceandjoy  in  them, 
(Ifai.  LXV.  19.)  And  r^/?  in  his  Love.  [Xt^h.  HI.  17.) 
And  thus  they  fl'iall  be  for  everivilh  the  Lord,  fliall  be 
whtrehe  is.,  and  behold  hi sGlory,  And  God  will  be  their 
God.,  and  luipe  away  all  Tears  from  their  Eyes  j  and 
there  foail  be  no  imre  Deaths  tzeither  Sorrow.,  nor  Cry- 
ing., neither  fhall  there  be  any  more  Pain  ;  for  the  former 
Things  are pajfcd  awa^f.  All  Temptations  and  Trials 
are  at  an  End  :  for  ever  out  oi  the  Reach  of  Satan, 
Sin  and  Danger.  All  Things  are  made  new.,  are  put 
upon  a  newFooi  ;  not  as  in  the  firft  Creation,  when 
all  finite  Intelligences  were  pur  on  Trial,  and  left  t:3 
(land  or  fall  for  themfelves,  God  unobliged  to  hold 
them  up,  in  Confequence  whereof  Sin  entered  into 
Heaven  andEarth  ;  whereas  in  this  nevvHeaven  and 
Earth,  there  (hall  be  no  Sin  ;  but  in  them 
dweileth  Rigbteouf.efi.  (2  Pet  [II.  13.)  CiirKf  v/ill 
eternally  be  f!.c  Htaduf  aP  hb!v  Inte-Iigences,  and 
his  Immutabiliry  be  thcr  eternal  Scciirify.  (Eph.  L 
10.)  So  ih.-y  (hali  polT. fs  this  good  L.ind,  wiiicli- 
flows  With  Mi  Ik  and  Honjy,  which  is  the  Glory  of 
all  Lands,  ot  which  the  earthl-.  Canaan  was- aType  j, 
I  fay,  they  (hall  poilei's  it  for  ever. 

7.  An'd 


1 72  The  Wisdom  of  God 

7.  Akd  upon  the  whole,  what  muft  be  the  Re- 
flexions of  Angels  and  Saints,  in  thoie  happy  Regi- 
ons or  Light, Love,  Peace,  and  eternal  Contemplati- 
on ?  What  muft  the  ele6t  Angels  think,  while  they 
^  recollecfl    the  Day    of  their  Creation  ;  when  Satari 
and  all  his  Hofts  ftood  with  them,   and   bowed  and 
worfhiped  before  the  Throne  ;  and  remember  his 
foulRevolt>  his  Expulfion  from  Heaven,  hisAttcmpts 
to  diflionour  God, and  get  himfelf  adored  in  an  apo- 
Aate  World  ;  and  now  view  his  eternal  Overthrow, 
chained  10  the  burning  Lake  for  ever  and   ever  t 
And   what   muft    be  the    Reflections  of  Adarn^ 
Abel,  Enoch   and  Noah  j  of  Abraham,  Ifaac  and 
Jacob;  of  Mofes,  Joihua,  Samuel,   and  of  all  tils' 
I    Prophets,  Ap-oftles  and  Martyrs  j  and  of  all  the  Sa- 
\   vcd,  ill  every  Age  of  the  World,  and  from  every  Na- 
I  tion,  Language  and  Tongue  under  Heaven  ?  while 
■   they    recoiled   the  original  Apoftacy  of  Mankind^ 
•   and  the  whole  Hiftory  of  all  the  Conduct  of  an  apo- 
f^ate  World,  from  the  Fall  of  Adam  to  the  Day  of 
JudgTicnt,    as   lately    laid  befere  the  Tribunal  of 
i  Chnft  :    A))d  remember  their  own  former   awful 
'  Temper   and    dreadlul   State  while  f<£cure  in  Sin,. 
^  running  in  full  Career  to  Hell  :    And  confider  how 
,.  they  were  pitied  and  redeemed  by  an  incarnate  God, 
if  and  ftcpt  and  reclaimed    by   fovereign   Grace,  and 
i"  kept  by  the  Power  of  God  thro'  Faith  unto  Salvati- 
i  on  ;  but  for  wliich,  they  not  only   might,  but  cer- 
tainly would  have  been, in  the  fame  inhincely  dread- 
^  ful  Condition  they  now  behold  others  in,  once  their 
;  Neighbours  and  Companions,  chained  among  De- 
^  vils  to  the  burning  Lake. 

I  As  the  pinus  jfraelites,  when  quietly  fettled  in 
I  the  earthly  Canaan,  would  naturally  call  to  mind 
.;  the  Day,  when  they  were  Bondmen  in  the  Land  of 
i:  Egypt,  and  the  Egyptian  Manners,  and  the  idola- 
trous Cuiloms  ill  wiiich  they  were  educated  :    And 

h9W 


in  the  Permijp.on  of  St^,  173 

how  they  had  forgotten  the  God  of  Abraham,  and 
the  proinifed  Land,  until  the  Arrival  of  Moles  from 
the  Land  of  Midian,  with  the  Rod  of  God  in  his 
Hand  :  And  how  they  felt  in  the  Time  of  the 
Plaaues,  and  at  their  Egreflion,  and  when  purfued 
by  Pharaoh,  and  when  pafTing  thro'  the  Sea  on  dry 
Ground,  and  when  they  found  themfelves  fafe  on 
the  other  Shore,  while  Pharaoh   and  his  Hofts  were 

funk.  likeLead  in  the  mighty  Waters  : And  talk 

overall  their  Wildernefs-Travels,  and  all  God's 
wonderful  Works  :  And  how  they  fumed  at  Maffah, 
Tiberah,  and  Kibroth-hattaavah,  and  were  always 
provoking  the  Jvord  to  Wrath  :  And  how  the  CaV- 
cafes  of  fix  hundred  Thoufand  fell  in  the  Wilder- 
nefs.  "  Yea,  and  we  Ihould  all  have  been  cut  off 
**  anddeftroyed,  had  not  the  Lord  wrought  for  his 
*'  great  Name's  fake.  It  was  not  for  our  Righte- 
**  oufnefs,  nor  for  theUprightnefs  of  our  Hearts, 
*'  that  he  brought  us  into  this  goodLand  :  but  from 
*'  his  own  fovereign,felf-movingGoodnefs,  andthat 
**  he  might  Ail  the  whole  Earth  with  his  Glory. 
"  Wherefore  we  will  tell  our  Sons,  and  our  Sons 
•'  Sons,  what  God  hath  wrought  ;  that  we  and 
*'  they  may  fear  and  reverence  that  fearful  and  glo- 
"  rious  Name,  the  Lord  our  God,  and  adore 
*'  his  diftinguifhing  Goodnefs,  and  walk  in  all  his 
*'  Ways,  and  keep  all  his  Commands  for  ever." — 
So  it  will  be  jud  as  natural  for  tb.ofe,  who  are  faved 
from  among  Men,  when  the  Day  of  Judgment  is 
part,  and  they  fafe  in  the  heavenly  Canaan,from 
thence  to  look  back,  and  furvey,  and  talk  over  all 
the  Ways  of  God  to  Men,  and  all  the  Ways  of 
Man  to  God,  from  the  Creation  to  the  final  Con- 
flagration. And  while  they  behold  the  divine  Na- 
ture fet  in  fo  clear,  flrong  and  ftriking  a  Light ;  and 
the  Pidure  lliii  brightened  by  a  View  ©f  the  fliock- 

ins: 


174  ^'^e  Wisdom  of  God 

ir.g  Conc!u6l  of  the  human  Race  towards  him, 

how  wjll  they  t'ceJ,   and  what  will  they  fay  ? 

Let  us  but  imagine  our  felves  in  the  Company 
of  the  Saved,  and  attend  to  the  Converfation  of 
Hv^ven.  Patriarchs,  Prophets,  Apodles  and  Mar- 
tyrs, and  Angels  mixt  in  the  fame  Aflembly,  all  join 
to  .arry  on  the  Converfation,  each  filled  with  holy 
Deiiglit,  while  the  Ways  of  God  to  Man,  and  the 
Wa-  s  oi  Man  to  God,  are  all  the  Theme. 

ADAM  begins. "  How  farprizing  is  it,to  find 

*'  my  felfand  fo  many  of  my  Polleriiyin  this  happy 
<'  World, happier  a  thoufandTimes  than  the  Para- 
''  dife  I  loit  !  Indeed,  I  was  happy  then,  but  the 
"  Scenes  of  Darknefs,  Guilt  and  Woe  I  pafTed  thro' 
*'  after  my  Revolt  from  God,  and  all  I  have  iz^n 
"  and  heard  from- that  Day  to  this,  Things  never 
"  to  be  torgotten,  will  for  ever  heighten  the  Joys  of 
^«  this blefTc^d Place.  But,  Oh,  my  foul  Revolt  !  How 
infinitely  heinous  was  theCrime  !  How  juft,if  God 
had  left  me  and  all  my  Race  to  have  gone  on  in 
Rebellion,  died  inDefpair,  and  f^  ent  eiernal  Ages 
with  Satan  and  his  Horts,  In  yonder  Lake  of  Fire 
*'  and  Brimftone  !  But  fovereign  Grace  interpofed! 
''  And  now  I  fee  the  Promife  accoinplifhed  ;  The 
^'  Seed  of  the  Woman  hath  bruifed  the  Serpent's 
"  Head.  Know  it  then,  you  are  happy,not  by  me. 
"  Not  to  me  therefore,  but  to  God,  and  God  alone, 
««  is  all  the  Glory  due." 

GABRIEL  next '^  Indeed,  ye  Sons  of  Men, 

*'  is  all  the  Glory  due  to  God.  He  only  is  Immu- 
"  table.  See  in  yon  Lake,  Satan  and  all  his  Hods 
'*  for  everloH:.  Once  this  was  their  Abode.  Witii 
"  us  they  worfhipped  before  the  Throne.  But 
"  they  fell.  And  io  might  we  have  done,  but  for 
*'  the  Grace  of  God.  And  fo  might  all  Mankind 
"  have  fallen  too,  had  they  been  created  at  once, 
*'  as  we  in  Heaven  were  ;  and  each  fet  to  ad  for 


;;/  the  PenniJfioH  of  Sin.  i  7  ^ 

*'  himfelf,  as  many  of  Adam's  conceited  Sons  have 
"  often  foolilhly  wilhcd  had  been  the  Cafe.  P'roiu 
*'  the  Day  that  Satan  fell,  to  this  very  Hour, 
*'  every  Thing  we  liave  obferved,  lias  joined  to  ella- 
"  blifri  us  in  this,  that  there  is  no  Safety  ^'or  linlte 
"  Inieiligeaces,  but  in  God  alone.  He  only  is  by 
*'  Nature  immutable.  Nor  can  a  Creature,  how 
*'  exalted  focver,  arrive  To  near  to  a  State  of  Judc- 
*'  pendence,  as  to  be  in  himfelf  immutably  good, 
•'  God  is  our  Strength  and  Refuge,  and  the  only 
*'  Source  of  our  eternal  Stability.  Of  whom,  and 
"  by  whom,  and  to  whon1  are  all  Things, to  whom 
•'  belongs  Glory  for  ever  !" 

St,  PAUL "  No  doubt,  the  Intercft  o^  the 

<'  human  Race  was  as  fafc  in  Adam's  Hands,  as  it 
"  would  have  been  in  our  own.  And  it  beino-  no 
•'  Injury  to  us,  God  might,  without  any  Injullice 
"  to  us,  appoint  him  our  public  Head.  And,  in- 
*'  deed,  confidering  the  Defign  God  had  in  Vj^w, 
''  there  was  great  Wifdom  in  that  Contlitution. 
*'  For  Adam  was  fuited,  as  a  Type  and  Shadow, 
*'  while  we  dwelt  in  that  World  of  Darknefs,  to 
'*  alFifl:  us  to  right  Conceptions  of  Chrill,  our  fe- 
'*  cond  Adam,  our  fecond  public  Head.  TheOm- 
"  nifcient,  feeing  no  Trull  could  be  put  in  his 
*'  Saints,  and  that  even  the  Angels  could  not  be 
'•  depended  upon,  did,  before  t)ie  Foundation  of 
**  tl>e  World,  deilgn  his  own  Son  fnould  become 
*'  incarnate,  and  Itand  forth  as  the  firil-born  of 
"  every  Creature,  the  Head  of  the  Creation  of 
''  God  ;  that  in  him  he  might  gather  together,  hx 
*'  and  ellablifli  all  the  Eledt,  wliether  belonging  to 
^'  Heaven  or  Earth,  as  we  fee  at  this  Day. 

yJDAX^ "  How  glorious  is  the  Exchange  I 

''  Once  r  was  your  publicHead  :  but  in  me  all  was 

**  loil.     God  left  me,    that  it  might  be  feen  what 

*^  WAS  in    my  Heart  3  that   it    might   appear,  all 

Q.  u  Flcl!^ 


-6  The  Wisdom  of  Cod 

*'  Flcfn   Is  but  Grafs.     Ahd    now,  not  I,  but  his 
^*  own  Son  is  your  Head.     And  your  eternal  Wel- 
'  fare  is  fecured  in  the  divine  Imnuitability.     This 
'  Glory  was  due  to  God  alone,   who  only  is  un- 
changeable.    And  this  Glory,  by  Means  of  my 
Fall,  God  has  taken  to  himjelf  in  the  Sight   of 
the  wiiole  intelledfual  Syiiem/' 

GABRIEL **  So  Satan    once   flood  at    the 

"  Head  of  all  the  angciic  Holls,  v\ho  revolted  with 
*'  him,  a  migluy  Chief.  And  like  the  bright 
*'  Alorning- Star,  excelled  in  LulUc  all  thofe_Siars 
*'  of  Heaven.  But  how  art  thou  fallen,  O  Luci- 
*'  fea  Son  of  the  Morning  I  And  how  haft  thou 
*'  drPyh  O'fFa  third  Part  oi  the  Stars  of  Heaven,  to 
'*  join  in  thy  Revolt  !"* 

6T.  PAUL '*  But  now,  not  an  Arch-angcl, 

•'  nor  the  P'ather  o^  Mankind,  but  God's  dear  Son, 
^'  i?,  in  this  new  State  or  Things,  at  tlie  Head  of 
^'  all  holy  Jntelligencts.  Both  Angels  and  Men 
*'  are  gathered  together  in  One;  even  in  him, who 
*•  is  the  Image  of  the  invifible  God,  and  has  exhi- 
*•*  bited  thefublimert  Figure  of  the  Deity  in  all  his 
^''  Works,  but  chiefly  in  the  Work  of  our  Redemp- 
^■'  tion." 

JDJM "  And  all  is  free  fovereignOracel— 

•*  His  giving  Being,  natural  Powers,  and  moralEx- 
''  ctllencies  to  his  Creatures  in  their  firft  Creation, 
"  brought  them  intoDebt  to  him  ;  but  not  him  to 
''  them.  7'hey  ov/ed  themfelves  t^  him  :  he  owed 
"  them  nothing.  He'  was  unobliged  to  become 
*«  theirSurety.  I  ought  to  have  been  obedient  to 
"  the  God  that  made  me.     But  I  fell.     And    the 

''  Throne 

*  We  read  of  Principalii'ies  and  Ponverr  among  the  evil 
Angels  (Col.  II.  15.)  as  well  as  among  the  Good. 
(Eph.  1.  21.)  And  one  of  their  Number  Is  called  ^Prince. 
(Fph.  II.  2.)  And  doubtlefs  he  was  Prince  before  h^ 
fcU,  as  well  as  liDce.     See  Rev,  XIV.  j,  4,  7,  8,  9. 


in 


tie  Perm'ijjion  of  Sy^,  i; 


<«  Throne  of  the  Almighty  v.'as  guiltlefs.  D.^- 
*'  firuilion  Kasourduc.  Oh,  how  free  and  fovc- 
"  reign  is  the  Grace  that  has  hvcd  us  !" 

AJOSES "  What  mud  have  been  theCon- 

<'  U-qucnce,  hxid  Mankind  in  their  tallen  State  beeu 
*'  , merely  under  the  Lua'  of  Nature,  which  reqiii--- 
'*  ed  linlefs  Perfection,  curfing  the  Man  who  conti  ■ 
*'  nu:d  not  in  all  Things  !  And  ytt  ihis  Law  wl>; 
"  ikid^tly  righteous.  And  as  fuch,was  it  republiflied 
*'  from  Mount  Sinai,  by  the  holy  Oxe  of  Ifrae!, 
'^  But  altho'  ourDepravity  did  not  free  us  from  the 
'•  Government  and  Authority  of  CtocI,  yet  it  laid  a 
'^  fure  Founilalion  for  our  breaking  the  Law.  And 
"  fo,  had  mere  Law  taken  IMace^we  (IVduld  all  have 
''^  been  for  ever  loO-. — And  this  had  been  but  iTrlc^- 
<t  ly  jud. — -But  Oh,  the  free  and  boundlcfsGracc 
'*  of  God  ! — His  own  Son  became  a  Gutfe  fur  us, 
'•  that  all  ihefcBlcirings  wc  novvenjoy,ia  this  happy 
'*  World,  might  come  upon  us." 

St.  P JUL—  -'Creatuhks  becoming  ipoilaci', 
"  and  iurn.ng  Eriemics  and  Rebels  to  the  Cio(i  tliat 
"  made  tiicm, this  did  not  in  thcleaft  difannuIGcd's 
'•  Right  to  them,  and  ^w^^'^o^i^y  ov?r  them  ^  but 
"  tht-y  ftill  rcniatned  by  Right  his  oubjeds^  and 
'•  under  his  Governrn.^nt,  and  3ccoun*abIe  at  Iiij 
*-  "Bfj-buna).  And  accordingly  we  have  lately  Hei^^ 
"  wicked  Men  2\m\  Devi's  brought  to  the  Ear,  ar.d 
*'.1!«in8ie  jland  witliout  Excufe,  e/crv  Mouth  (lopr, 
'*'  all  of  them  guilty  before  God. — On  the  Foot  oi' 
'•  nicre  Law,  theretore,  God  might  juiily  have  d\.ak 
^-  with  us  after  our  Apodacy  ;  an<4  by  Law  mi^ht 
'•^  have  judjicd  and  condemned  us  all  to  yon\!er 
'•   Lake  uf  Fire  and  Brimllone,   to  wc'rer  out  cttr- 

'•  nal  Ages. O  the  Height,    aj^d    Depth,    and 

'■•  Lengtii,  and  Brcnd-h  of  the  Loveof  Chrillywhich 
'•   paii^ili  aiiUndei (landing  ! — Fhe  Law  was  holy, 

jUtl  and  good — He  judged  jt  fo — he  d:^d  lo  anfwi.  r 
^i  2  -«^  its 


j]'i}  The  Wisdom  of  Co  J, 

"  its  Demands.  Nor  did  he  nfk  our  Pnrdon  at  his 
*•  Father's  Hands,  on  cheaper  Terms."* 

"  GABRIEL "   How  had  it  gratified  the  in- 

"  I'ernal  Hods,  lately  baniflied  the  heavenly  Woild, 
*'  I'y  Lazv,  to  have  feen  Law  fet  alide  in  Favour  of 
^'  a  fallen  Race  !  And  how  would  they  have  tri- 
'^  umphed^to  fee  the  Judge  of  the  whole  Sy(Um  ref- 
••"  pc6i  Peribns,  and  iiave  no  Regard  to  Right  !  — 
*'  Better,  ini:niteiy  btttcr,  all  the  human  Race  had 
'■^  been  for  ever  loll." 

St.  PAUL ''You  fpeak  the   Sentiments   of 

*'  ail  ilie  Sa\ed.  Had  we  been  pardoned  to  (jod's 
"'•  Difhuijour,  it  would  have  fapped  the  Foundation 
<•'  of  all  ourjoys. — Kow  much  foever  you  pitied  cur 
"  Cafe, you  never  dclijed  oui  Relief  in  fuch  a  Way." 

GABRIEL ''  1  remember  well  the  Day,  the 

*'  News  of  your  Revolt  fiiil  reached  llic  heavenly 
*'  World. — We  t'.ought  )ou  all  for  ever  loll — and 
**  approved  ihe  'Fhirig  asjiiil — We  faw  noVv^'ay  for 
)ou|  Rciici — nor  iljalfwe  ever  forget  howThings 
appeared — God's  new  Creation  all  in  Ruins  t  and 
S«itan  triumphing  in  his  Deed. — But,  O  the 
*•  Love  of  God  to  you  !' And  O  the  bouadlefs 
'*  W^^fdom   of  hiui  who  fits  upon  the  Throne  !" 

MOSE^ 

^  How  infinitely  fliocking,  to  the  Inhabitants  of  Heaven, 
would  the  VA'oik  of  our  Redemption  appear,  had  Chilli 
died  to  anfwer  the  Demands  of  an  unj«(l  and  wicked  Law  ! 
If  the  Law,  which  requires  finkfs  Perfedion  on  Pain  of 
ctcrrnaJ  Damnation  (Gal.  IlL  lo.)  was  a  cruel,  unjuft  and 
wicked  Law  (as  fume,  who  pretend  to  trult  in  the 
Blood  of  Chrilt  for  Salvation,  arc  fo  inconfilknt  with 
iheinfelvcs  as  to  affirm)  it  was  irifiniteiy  wicked,  the  Son 
of  God  (hould  die  to  anfwer  its  Demands.  On  thisrfy- 
podiefis,  the  Work  of  Redemption,  infleud  of  bci;ig  the 
moft  glorious,  would  be  iiifluitely  the  mofl.  faockin^AfTtiic 
that  ever  happened. 


4C 


///  the  PermiJJloi  of  Sr^.  'i'f 

AIOSES ''  Solfrael  once,  for  their  Idol  airy, 

*'  Oood  all  coiidemn'd  to  Death— Li/ w^  ^7/<?^v,  the 
*'  Almighty  raid,r/;^/  inaMemtutl  K:ay  dcjlro'j  them-^ 
"  J  knew,  the  Caufs  was  juft.  And  never  (hall 
'*  forget   how  he  wrought  lar  his  great  Name's 

"    SAKE." 

GABRIEL «  That  was  but  a  taint  In^3ge    .■ 

•'  this.  For  now  a  wliole  "^Vorld  lay  in  Ruins — 
*'  and  Satan  and  all  his  Hofis  irrrriumph  were  rca- 
"  dy  to  fay,  ^'Tis  beyond  the  Almighty  himfdfto  dij- 
^^  concert  our  Plan.  His  Honour^  Law  and  Truth 
'*  chl'ige  h'nn  to  accorr.pUJ})  the  Thing  we  would — Dcuoii 
««  iheJVorldtoDeathr 

ADAM «    Now   the   full  Purport  of  thofe 

*'  myllerious  Words,  The  Seed  of  the  TP'oman  fimll 
•«  brulfe  the  Serpent's  Head^  once  the  Foundation  cf 
<■'  all  my  Hopes,  altho'  but  little  underftood,  nov 
"  their  full  Purport  all  opens  to  View. — On  ili\; 
<'  CrQfs,hc  fpoiledPrincipaliiies  and  Powers,rappe(l 
*'  theP'oundationof  Satan'sHoprs,and  ruined  a!i  his 

*'-  hellilli  Scheme Since  his  Exaltation,    he  has^ 

*'  compleated  his  whole  Deiign — Yonder  now  lies 
*«  the  old  Serpent,  his  Head,  altho'  fo  replete  with 
"  Craft  and  Poifon,  thoro'ly  bruifed,  and  himfelf 

"  chained   in  the  burning  Lake. But  why  am  I 

"^  among  the  Saved  !  Never  was  there  fuch  an  In- 
'^  ftance  of  free  fovereign  Grace  I  Satan  beganRc- 
*'  bell  ion  in  Heaven,  and  I  began  Rebellion  on 
«*  Eaith  :  and  why  are  we  not  now  both  logetherjiu 
*«  the  fame  burning  Lake  ?" 

ABEL —  '-'  Fhrre  is  my  Brother  Cam,  forever' 
*<  lod. — O  the  fovereign  Grace  of  God  to  me  !'* 

BOAR "  There  are  the  Inhabitants  of  th« 

««•  old  World. — They  filled  the  Earth  withVioIenc-i 
sc  — were  deaf  to  all  the  W.irningsof  a  long-fuffer- 
*^  ing  God — were  deflroyed  in  the  generalDeluge— 
^  now  wehring  in  the  burning  Lake. — O  the  To- 
(i.3  Vfrcigu 


l8o  The  Wisdom  of   God 

*'  vercign  Grace  of  God  to  me  !  Saved  then  in  the 
"  Ark^    S-:re  now  in  Chrift." 

/BR/IH/iM »'  Sl;ch   a   univerfal  Deluge, 

*'  fuch  a  dreadi"uiDeftru(51:ion,one  would  have  tho'^r, 
"  would  never  ha-ve  been  forgotten.  Bur  no  foon- 
"  er  did  Mankind  increafe,  but  they  turned  their 
"  Backs  on  God  :  and  in  a  few  Ages,  all  began  to 
'*  link  into  Idolatry.  Then  was  I  born  in  Ur  of 
"  the  Chaldees,  where  I  might  have  lived  and  died 
*'  edranged  from  God,  and  been  now  among  the 
'*  Damned,  had  not  God  of  his  fovereign  Grace  vi- 
"  fited  my  Soul,  and  called  me  from  the  Idols  of 
*'  my  native  Land.  But  behold,  now  here  I  am, 
"  and  here  islfaac  my  Son,  and  Jacob  myGrand- 
*'  \on,  an-d  Thoufands  of  my  Pofierity,  in  Glory  ! 
•*  KvcrlaP.ing  Fraife  is  due  to  free  and  foverefgii 
'•  Grace." 

St.  PETER "  YcNDFR,   in   that  Lake   of 

•*  Fire  and  Brimlione,  is  Judas  \.\\c  Traitor,  once  a 
"  Follower  of  Chrift,iiow  doomed  to  endiefs  Woe. 
"  Oh  r>ever  ihall  I  forget  the  black  and  gloomy 
Night,when  I  curfed  h  iwore,  I knoiv  nctthdMan^ 
my  bJelTed  Mailer  !  Nor  Ihall  I  ever  forget  the 
kind  Lock, which  bro-t  me  to  Repentance.  Nor 
ihall  I  ever  ceafe  to  adore  fovereign  diftinguifh- 
ing  Grace,  but  for  which  I  had  now  been  wilh 
Judas  in  tlie  burning:  Lake." 

cV/.  RAUL ^'  But  of  all  the  Saved,   no  Tn- 

ihnce  of  fovereignGrace,  like  me!*  Once  a  Per- 

"  fecutor. 

Sovereign  ;  not  bcc^ufcGod  a<51ed  abfolutely  without  any 
Keafon  at  all,  in  converting  a  perftcuting  Saul,  who  was 
the  word  of  the  two,  and  pcffing  by  t'v  young  Man  m 
thcGofpel  :  for  irJiaite  \Viruom  always  a^ts  on  the  h:;;h- 
cft  and  bcftKeafon.  But  bccrufe  SauJ  wis  not  chufcn  Tt 
his  Goodnefs,  being  the  chisf  of  Sinners.  \.  Tim.  I.  t; 
Yet  Q'A  hi^  wife  £nds  in  his  Ctoice.  (  See  vcr.   i6 


//;  the  Pemi'iJJlon  of  Si^.  iSi 

<«  fecutor,  and  a  BUfphemer.  Never  fi-iall  I  foro;et 
"  the  Djy  I  fet  out  for  Dainalcus,  breathing  forth 
''  Threatnjni:^s  an:i  Sia-u^htcr  againft  the  Diiciples 
<«  of  the  h;)iy  Jefus.  Bur,  O  the  Grace,  the  lo- 
"  vereign  Grace  ot  God,  that  topped  me  in  my 
*'  Career — fcnt  mc  to  carry  the  gbd'Tidmi;s  ofSal- 
"  vation  to  the  Gentiles,— and  gave  me  Thoufands 
'*  to  be  my  Joy  and  Crown  of  R-s-joicing  ;  as  it  is 
«  this  Day!" 

St.  PJUL's  CONFERTS .  «  Once  we  were 

*'  dead  iji  Trefp  ilTcS  and  S.ns>  buried  in  l^eathenilh 
'*  Darknefs  ;  and  even  under  the  full  Power  of  the 
'■*  Pnnce  of  Darknefs  ;  and  might  now  have  been 
*'  with  Ivin  in  Woe.  Bur,  O  the  fovereianGrace 
"  of  God  to  us,  v^ho  fent  his  chofen  V'ci?c],  and 
"  eddied  U5  out  of  Dirkjiefs- into  marvellous  Li:zht, 
*'  arid  now  Inth  brouj;iit  us  to  this  VV^orJd  of  Jo)  !  — 
*'  Eternal  Prailes  to  the  Lord. 

[Thousands  and  Mdhons  will  fpeak  the  fame 
LanL;uage,  and  all  join  to  proftrate  themfelves 
before  theThrone,  and  give  all  theG'ory  and 
Praife  ot  their  Salvation  to  God  and  to  the 
Lamb  :  and  with  the  moft  tervent  Love  and 
Gratitude,  attended  with  the  deepeft  Humility 
ail  1  Reverence,  devote  themfelves  toCT'jd  tliro' 

Jtfus  Chrilt    for  ever  and  ever And  while 

all  ihis  is  obferved,  very  natural  mull  ihe  fol- 
lo^vins;  Refi'eitions  be.j 

GABRIEL *'  How  IS  Satan  difappointed  in 

•*  every  Reipecbt  !     And    Heaven,  become    a    i«t*re 
0.4  *'  g  orlous 

As  no  Doubt  he  always  Has,  altho'  in  innura;  rable  C^Tes 
ihey  are  abfoluteiy  beyond  our  Reach.  God  has  ;i  Right 
in  this  C^fe,  a=;  the  great  Sovereigri  of  the  Univerfe,  to 
do  as  \\z  pleafrrs.  But  he  always  does  what  is  wifcd  to 
be  done.  His  Sovereigniy  is  a  'U'//d'and  hofy  ^overeigntv^ 
a«»  J  an  infinirdy  anrnbic  P-irt  of  his  moi"iil  Lharadcr.  It 
15  G'jfi  CJhry,  Z^oi,  XXXill.    i8,  19. 


l!f2  7he  Wisdom  of  God 

"  glorious  and  i  appy  PJace,than  ever  it  was  ! 

''  1  remciTiUer,  wlitn  there  v\as(K.thing  but  Love, 
*'  Order  and  Harmony  in  Heaven  and  Earth,  I 
"  rcmember,when  Satan  a  glorious  Archangel  rirft 
*'  broke  Order  in  Heaven,  ro!e  iip  in  Rebellion  a- 
"  gainft  the  Almighty  ;  and  liow  he  carried  the 
**  Infcdlion  down  to  Earth,  And  I  remember  the 
*'  horrible  Tragedies  he  has  a(5>ed  over,  from  Age 
"  to  Age,  at  the  Head  of  the  Powers  of  Darkneis, 
*'  ruling  in  theChildren  of  Difobedience,  and  filling 
''  the  V/orld  of  Mankind  with  Sm  and  Woe  :  and 
*'  the  mightyvQppofition  he  has  conrtanily  made 
"  ag-iinft  iheilUerfft  and  Kingdom  of  the  Meffiah  ;  • 
*'  fomerimes  as  a  great  Red  Dragon,  thinking  by 
"  Fire  and  Sword  to  bear  dovt'n  all  before  him  ; 
*'  and  then  as  an  Angel  of  Light,  fpreading  Dclu- 
*'  fions  far  and  wide  ^  not  caring  v^hat  Shapes  he 
"  put  on,  if  by  any  Means  he  might  attain  his 
*'  Ends. — But  now  hisDay  is  over;  HisDefigns  are 
*'  fruftrated  :  His  Expedations  difappointed,  and 
''  his  Kingdom  ruined.  -And  behold,  Yonder  lies 
*«  thcMonfter,  chained  in  that  burning  Lake  5  now 
'*  the  only  Place  of  his  everlafting  Abode  ;  wel- 
"  tring  in  Horror,  Rage  and  dreadful  Difpair! 

"  If  he  hoped  to  bring  our  gloriousMonarch  into 
**  Contempt  in  liisDominions,among  hisCreatures; 
«*  he  is  difappoir.ted.  ForGod  is  more  'oved,honour- 
ed. revered, extolled  &-praifed,  than  ifthefeThings 

had   never  happened. -M  lie  hoped  to  JefTen 

his  Authority,  and  bring  his  Law  into  Contempt, 
that  it  iTiould  be  locked  upon  a  light  Matter  to 
tranfgrefs  ;  he  is-in  this  ajfo  difappointed.  For 
*'  never  would  it  have  appeared  fo  infinitely  hei- 
*'  nous,  and  fo  fhockingly  dreadful  a  71ni?g,.to 
"  tranfercfs,  if  thefe  Things  had  never  happened. 

Or  if  he  hoped,  at  leail,  that  tlie  Execution 

^^  of  divine  Vengeance  would  leilcn  iheMamfefta* 


cc 


:.i  t!:j  Pcrruijjh'i  of  Si"^.  183 

"  tions  of  divine  Goodnefs,  and  diminilh  theHap- 
"  pinefs  of  the  intellc^Tua!  Svliem  ;  he  is  alio  dif- 
*'  appointed  in  this.  For  God  has  Ihewn  his  Wrath 
'*  in  luch  a  Manner,as  to- render  the  Riclies  of  his 
"  glorious  Grace  infinitely  the-inore  confpicuous,  in 
"  the  Sight  of  all  the  hihabitants  of  Heaven  ;  and 
'"  their   Love    and  Joy    arifc    unfpeakably  higher, 

*'   than  if  tiiefe  'I'hings  had    never  happened. • 

"  Yea,  all  Things  have  worked  for  Good, and  turn- 
"  ed  out  well.  His  Pride  has  been  the  Means  of  a 
"  2;reat  hicreafe  of  Humility  among  hnite  Intclii- 
'•  gences  ;  as  it  has  led  them  \(i  {cT  what  th'ey 
"  m-4ght  hav^e  come  to, if  left  of  God.  His  Fall  has 
"  been  the  \4eans  of  our  Confirmation.  His  In- 
"  gratitude,  of  our  being  for  ever  the  more  fenfi- 
"  ble  of  the  rich  Goodnefs  of  God.  His  fetti-^ 
"  up  to  be  indepcndentjtheMcans  to  bring  us  tox 
'*  more  abfolute  and  entire  Dependance  on  God, 
"  the  only  immutable  Being.  And  his  aiming  at 
''  Supremacy, feducingMankindjand  raifmg  all  this 
"  Confufion  in  the  Syi\em,  has  occafioned  the  Al- 
*'  MIGHTY  to  afTert  his  own  Supremacy,  and  fet^ 
'•  his  own  Son  at  the  Head  of  tlie  Creation,  and  M 
"  him  to  bring  all  Things  to  an  everlafling  Efta- 
"  b!i(hment,   in  a  Way  mofl:  honourable  to  GoJ^ 

"  and  m^(\:  advantageous  to  the  Syftem. So  t!-^e 

"  he  is  difappo'.nted  in  every  Refpe(5f. He  meant 

"  <?//  for  Evil  '.  but  io,  God  meant  all  forGood^Ko  bring 
"  to  pafs  as  it  is  this  Day. 

'^  So  all  his  Succefies  liave  now  at  hd  ended  in 
<'  \\\it  eternal  Ruin  of  hisC?u^e:  And  hisTriumph^, 
"  in  eternal  Defpair  of  ever  again  lifting  up  his 
"  Head.  And  all  ilie  Mifchief  he  hath  wrought, 
<«  hath  in  Fa6l  brought  down  a  ten-fold  Vengeance 
"  on  himfelf,  in  yon  Lake  of  Fire  and  Brimltone  ; 
*'  where  he  is  doomed  to  he,weltring  under  divuic 
*'  Wrath,  thro'  endiefs  Ages,  to  exhibit  to  thcView 

"  of 


^^4  "^^'^^  Wisdom  of  Go  J 


'•  of  all  Intelligences,  the  evil  Nature  and  drcsdful 
"  Confcqucnces  ot"  Rebellion.  —  Mean  while,  God 
"   and  h:s  A4ESS1AH  reign,  and  will  for  ever  reign 

"   And  thus  the  ^ced  cf  the   IVcmm  hath  biuljcd 

*'  the  Strpenfs  Head.     Amen.     Halleluj.ah." 

Such  will  be  HieRedtclions  of  Angels  i^r.d  Si^ints 
after  tlie  Day  of  Judgment,  \vlunthey*havc  fccrv 
God's  grand  Plan  liniilvjd,  and  from  ihofe  celcftial 
Regions  lojk  b2ck.  and  review  the  Whole. 

And  nowywho  can  doubt, but  tlv.it  the  Hymility, 
Holintfs  and  Flappinefs  of  the  Saved  will  be  much 
greatir,  perhaps  ^  Thoufand Times,  perhaps  Ten 
'I'jioubnd  Times  greater, than  if  thcfelliings  had 
rever  happened  ?  And  how  know  we,  therefore^ 
but  that  there  may,  on  the  prefcrit  Plan,  more  Ho- 
'voii.r  rj:dound  to  Gnd,and  more  Good  to  ilic  SyHem, 
Op  the  whole,  than  if  Sin  and  Mifery  had  be^^n  for 
ev?r  u  ilcnown  ;  yea,  almoft  intialte!y  more  ?  * 

0'>je^iov.  "  But  was  there  no  other  W?y,  m 
**  which  God  could  have  made  Angels  and  Men  aj' 
'*  }i«)ly  and  h,a.ppy  without  the  Perminion  of  Sin  ?" 

Jnfivcr.  No,  Not  if  tliere  were  no  other  Way, 
in  which  he  could  fo  clearly  and  fully  manifef^,  nnd 
fo  advanfagcoafly  communicate  himfelf  to  his  Crea- 

-s  as  this. — For  his  Creatures  can   neiilicr  be 
^  >'  nor  happy,   but  in  the  Knowledge  and  Knjoy- 
.  ""..t  of  him.    Now,if  I  am  not  able  to  p.  eve  there 
was  no  W^ay,  yet   the  Ohj^SJcr  cannot  poinb'y  con- 
trive a  Way,  in  which  God  could  have  given   Aich 

clear 

"he    Computations   in  Page  65,  66.  Scrm.  on  tl-e  MiJ- 
Lnjiium,   and  in    Page  144^  145.  on  the    W  i£!oni   cf 

(.od,  &C.  are  f.-fTicient  to  clear  the  Point.      If  but    two 
Thirds  of  Mankind  (honld  befived,  and  their  Happinefs.  > 
be  increafcd  but  an  Hundred  Fold,  considering  iheGrt  .t- 
nefs  of  their   Number,    xh$,  Overplus- 1 lappln^fs    in    t'  ' 
vhok    rnuil   be    Milllom    of  JMllinus  of   iL 
t)cgrcc3 ;  as  any  ruay  fee  by  Calculation. 


jn  tJ?e  Permtffion  of  Sin.  I  Sy 

clear  arivl  full  Manifeftations  of  himfelf,  and  com- 
rmanicatc  Good  to  his  Creatures,  in  every  Rtffpetfl 
To  advantagcuully,  Siii  and  Alilery  l>ring  for  ever 
unknown,  as  iv:  has,  and  will,  upon  the  prcfent 
Piari.  So  that,  for  auglit  theObjcertor,  or  I,  know, 
this,  of  all  {)oiribiePians,may  be  the  bert  contrived, 
to  give  t  full  and  clear  iVlaniteftation  of  the  Deity, 
and  raife  lntel;!;z;ences  to  tiic  higheft  Pilch  of  moral 
Perfe^ion  and  Happinefs.  And  its  being  cliofen 
by  intinite  VVifdom  before  ail  others,  dcmoniliaies, 
that  this  is  actually  the  Cafe. 

Thus  then  l\ands  the  Ar2;'jrnent.  God's  per- 
mitting Jjfeph  to  be  f  )ld  into  £gypt  in  the  Manner 
he  was,  of  all  other  Methods  was,  as  Things  were 
circuai:^anced,  the  beft  calculated  to  anlwer  the 
noble  Ends  God  had  in  View  ;  at  lead,  fo  far  as 
we  can  fee  :  and  God's  adlually  choofing  that  Me- 
thod,demonllrates, it  was  adlually  the  bed  ;  intinite 

Wildom    beincr  Jud^e. So  here— God's    laying 

out  the  prefentPlan  is,  of  all  pofTible  Metliods,  the 
bdl  to  anfwer  the  noble  Ends  Cjod  h.is  in  View 
at  leail,  {s:^  far  as  we  can  fee  :  and  God's  choofu..  -- 
this,  before   all    others,    demonlirates,  that  this  is 
a6\ually  the  Cafe  j  infinite  Wifdom  being  Jud^re. 

Obj.   "  But  if  We   grant  this  to   be  the  bell  M-- 
"  thod  to  uccomplifh  the  Ends  God  had  in  View, 
"  and  grant  his  Ends  are  ever   fo  ncble  and  glori-, 
**  ous  ;  yet  how  could  it  be  right,forhim  to  doEfuily 
"  that  Good  ?night  corne  r"' 

Jnfw.  I.  As  God  was  not  obliged  to  interpofe 
and  hinder  Jofeph's  being  fold  ;  (o  hisno»:  interp'^  - 
ling,  cannot  be  called,  doing  Evil. — And  God's  r'  _ 
h  nderina;  the  Apolhfy  of  Angels  and  Men,  car>'in 
n.)  Sen  to  hit  QiWcA^doingEvil  thiitGood  might  come  \  un- 
\A'-^  we  can  firl^  prove,  that  he  was  bound  to  hincl 
them.  And  let  this  once  be  proved,  tie  <"" 
fcquence   will  be,   if  any  o£  God's  Crcatui 

buujer 


iS^  The  Wisdom  of  God 

i  Subjef^s,  at  nny  Time  fin,  then  God  muft  bear  the 
Blame.  And  ib,  not  ihe  Creature,  but  the  Creator, 
will  be  under  Bonds. 

2.  In  fomeCaffS,  even  we  ourfelves  haveaRight, 
in  a  Senfe  to  permit  Sin,  and  may  adt  wifely  in  do- 
ing fo,  as  common  Senl'e  teaches  all  xMankind. 
Thus,  a  wife  and  good  Malkr,  wlio  has  a  very 
lazy,  unfaithful,  deceitful  Servant,  whom  he  often 
catches  at  Play,  when  he  ought  to  be  at  his  Work, 
and  vvhofe  Manner  is  to  he  himfelf  clear,  if  he  pcf- 
flibly  can,  may,  upon  a  Time,  if  he  pleafes,  unfeen 
by  his  Servant,  (land  an  Hour,  and  let  him  take  his 
Courfe,  with  a  View  more  tlioro'ly  to  convi6t  him, 
and  reform  him.  And  this  is  not  doing  Evil,  that 
Goodmay  co?ne,  but  acSting  wifely, in  Order  to  reclaim 
a  lazy,  deceittul  Servant. 

3.  God  was  at  the  Head  of  the  Syftem,  which 
was  all  his  own  ;  and  it  belonged  to  him,to  lay  out 
a  univerfal  Plan,  if  I  may  compare  great  Things 
with  fmall,  jull  as  it  belongs  to  the  Head  of  a  Fa- 
mily, to  lay 'Ut  Family-Schemes.  And  he  knew 
ptriccfUy  well,  what  would  be  moH:  to  his  own  Ho- 
nour, and  to  the  general  Good  of  the  Syflem,  wlie- 
ther  to  become  Surety  for  all  intelJigtnces  at  their 
firft  Creation,  before  they  had  learnt  their  Need  of 
his  Interpofiiion — or,  rather,  to  let  them  take  their 
Courfe,  and  learn  by  Experience,  w  liat  was  no  other 
Way  fo  well  to  be  ieariit,  that  they  might  be  the 
better  prepared  to  acknowledge  him  as  the  only 
Being  by  Nature  immuiably  good,  and  to  receive 
with  fuitable  Gratitude,  this  Super-Creation-Grace, 

I  and  give  him  Opportunity, n^ean  while,to  H^ew  that 
he  was  the  Lord,  and  fill  the  whole  SyHtm  with 
his  Glory,  to  the  great  Increafe  of  the  Holinefs  and 
Happinefs  of  his  Creatures. — And  he  had  a  Right 
to  condu'il:  according  to  his  ownVVifdom,  and  to  do 
what  he  knew  would  bell  t-o  be  done.  *  Ohj, 

>^\*  See  Mr.  Edwarss  on  Lil^cr/jjkc.  Tag.  260 267. 


cc 


in  the  IPermiJJion  of  Sii^,  iSj 

Obje^.  "  Well,  if  God  wills  Sin,  then  it  feems 
"  Sin  is  agreable  to  his  WilJ.  And  if  from  all 
"  Eternity^'he  decreed  the  Mifery  of  his  Creatures, 
*'  then  it  feems,  their  Mifery  fiiits  him.  Beiides, 
.**  what  is  decreed  mud  necellarily  come  to  pafs,2i:d 
V  fo  our  Freedom  is  deftroyed.  All  which  arc 
."  contrary  to  Scripture,  and  to  common  Scnfe." 

ylnfiv.  *'  Well,"  fays  the  idle  deceitful  Servant, 
Vho  was  catched  at  his  Play,    and   fuffered  to  take 

his   own  Courfe  for  an  whole  Hour, '*  Well, 

■*'  Mafter,  now  I  fee  you  love  I  ihould  be  lazy,  and 
«1  play  J  for  otherwifeyou  would  have  hindred  me, 
*^  And  now  I  fee  you  love  to  whip  me,  for  the  Sake 

of  Whipping  ;  for  othervvife  you  would  not  have 

fuffered  me  to  have  deferved  it.  Befides,  you 
'*■  decreed  to  permit  me  to  play  on,that  wholeHour  ; 

"  and  fo  I  could  not  polFibly  help  it." All  which 

Would  not  only  be  contrary  to  common  Senfe,  but 
appear  to  favour  of  fo  great  Perverfenefs,  and  be 
fo  very  faucy  and  provoking,  that  his  Ma[\er  would 
not  think  it  needful  to  give  any  particular  Anl'wer, 
but  rather  proper  to  punilh  him  according  to  his 
Deferts. — For  it  mud  be  plain  to  the  Servant  at 
the  ftime  Time,  that  Jdlenefs  and  Deceitfulnefs  were 
theThings  his  Mafter  hated  in  him.  And  he  mull 
know,he  adted  freely  and  deferved  the  Whip  :  and 
that  it  became  his  Ixlafter  to  punidi  fuch  a  Villain, 
not  only  becaufe  he  deferved  it,  but  alfo  that  his 
other  Servants  might  hear  and  fear,  and  do  no  more 
fo  wickedly. — Nothing  can  be  plainer,  than  that 
the  Jews  aded  freely  in  bringing  about  the  Deatli 
of  Chrid.  And  it  was  one  of  the  greated  Crimes 
that  ever  was  committed.  And  yet  it  came  to  pafs 
according  to  thedivineDecrce.  j^cf.W.  23.  U  IV.  28. 
And  none  ever  thought,  becaufe  from  all  I.ternity 
God  decreed  the  Death  of  kis  Son,  that  therefore 
his  Agonies  on  thcCrofs  were  pleafing  to  hisFather, 
R  as 


1 88  T^e  Wisdom  ef  God 

as  one  tint  loves  to  fee  others  in  Mifery  mccrly  for 
^lifery's  Sake. 

OLj.  *'  But  yet,— Is  it  not  a  Pity,  any  are  finally 
k/A:  ? — Would  it  not  have  been  better,  if  all  had 
been  faved  ?" 

yinfw.  It  would,  no  doubt,  be  better  for  their 
own  interefl,  if  the  Rebels  in  any  earthly  Kingdom 
would  all  come  in,  and  fubmit  :  and  they  would  in 
fuch  a  Condud  ihew  more  Refped  to  their  lawful 
Sovereign.  On  which  Accounts  their  Sovereign 
m^y  fend  and  fmcerely  invite  and  command  them 
to  return  and  fubmit,  altho*  he  knows,  they  will 
not,  and  is  at  the  fame  Time  determined  to  do  no 
more,  but  upon  their  obftinate  Refufal  [as  the  beft 
Thing  that  can  be  done]  to  make  them  Examples 
of  his  Wrath,  in  the  Sight  and  for  the  InlVud^ion 
•f  all  his  Dominions.  Nor  can  any  juftly  fay,  it  is 
a  Pity  he  did  not  take  more  Pains  w^ith  them,  or 
that  it  is  a  Pity  he  punilhed  them  at  lafl.  * 

Pharaoh 
*  And  might  not  fuch  an  earthly  Monarch  fend  to  fuch 
Rebels,  and  fay,  /Is  I  livcy  I  have  710  Pleafure  in  your 
Death,  (££^/J.XXXIH.  11.)  I  am  lovg-fuffering  to'wards 
you,  not  'wiUing  any  of  you  Jhould  be  put  to  Death,  hut 
that  all  Jhould  come  to  Repentance.  (2  Pet,  III.  9.) 
And  that  with  theiitmoftSinccrity, — altho'  he  knew  theJr 
Obftinacy  was  fo  great,  that  they  would  not  hearken  ; 
and  aliho'  he  was  before  determined  to  do  no  more,  but 
(as  the  bed  Thing  that  could  be  done)  to  proceed  to 
their  Execution,  for  the  Vindication   of  bis  Honour  and 

Inftruftion  of  ail   his  Dominions  ! Surely  none  ever 

thought  but  that  an  earthly  Sovereign  may  in  fuch  a  Cafe 
kave  a  real  and  fincerc  Regard  to  the  Welfare  of  his 
Subje(!l3,  confidered  as  Men  ;  altho'  he  isdctcrniined,  as 
a  wife  Govcrnour,  io  JJosnx)  his  Wrath  in  their  Dtlfrtkflion, 
confidered  as  obftinate  Rebels,  after  having  endured  ijnith 
much  Long- fuffcri fig,  {Rom.  IX.  22.)  Nor  did  ever  any 
doubt  but  that  he  has  Right  to  fei  Bounds  to  Lis  Endea- 


///  the  Permjjfion  cf  Si^.  iBf 

Pharaoh  bad  fliewn  more  Refpc^fV  to  God,  and 
it  had  been  more  for  iihs  IntereH:,  had  he  repented 
of  his  OpprefTionSjanJ  without  Delay  yielded  Obe- 
dience to  the  divine  Command,  and  let  Ifrael  go. 
But  no  Man  has  Rcafon  to  think,  it  had  been  bet- 
ter if  God  had  faid  or  done  more  to  make  him 
obedient,  or  that  it  was  a  Pity,  God  punifhed  him 
at  lad  as  he  did.  [It  was  the  beft  Thing  that  could 
be  done.] 

Moses  had  beheld  all  his  Condud.  And  Mr^ft* 
beheld  the  Punilhment  the  Almighty  infli(fted  on 
him  and  on  his  Army.  And  what  did  Mofes  think? 
Did  he  think, it  was  aPity,that  proud  &  haughty  Mo- 
'varch  was  fo  bro't  down  r — aPity,the  cruelEg}  ptians 
were  tlius  drowned  ?  Or  did  not  the  divine  Conduct 

cjppcar  perfect  in  Wifdom,  Glory  and  Beauty  ? 

Now  if  none  are  finally  loft,  but  thofe  who  defciv?^ 
eternal  Damnation, as  really  as  Pharaoh  and  his  }lo\\ 
did  topcrlui  in  thcRed-Sea;  and  whofeeternalDam- 
nation  vj]]\  turn  as  much  to  the  Honour  of  God  and 
general  Good  of  God's  chofen  People,  as  did  th« 
Dettrueiionof  Pharaoh  and  his  Hoft,  and  as  much 
more  as  perfe<5tly  to  anfwcr  to  thc^reater  Impor- 
tance of  theCafe;it  is  not  at  all  ftrangeiftheir  eternal 
Damnation  Ihould  appear  in  the  Eyes  of  God,  An- 
R  2   •       '  gels, 

vonrs  and  to  his  Patience,  or  that  It  bccrmcs  him  to  d« 
fo.  {P/aL  LXXXI.  8  —  13.)  And  if  Gcd's  Cof-dud  in 
giving  up  obflinate  Sinners  is  confiflent  with  all  the  ten- 
der Concern  fie  exprcfTes  for  them,  his  decreeing  to  con- 
dufl  fo  is  confident  too.      If  he  aifls  confidently,  it  was 

confillent  to  determine  tosdt  fo. It  may  be  obfcrved, 

that  as  the  Scriptures  lake  it  for  granted,  Mankind 
are  moral  Agents,  and  proper  Subjcfto  of  moral  Govern- 
ment ;  fo  do  I  in  all  the  above  Reafonings.  Nor  is  it 
needful  I  (horild  enter  particularly  into  tliis  Point  again, 
after  what  has  been  already  publifhed.  (Pec  my  Truf 
Religion  dslinsaicdj  and  SimnsM  Ofi  G<il,  III.  24  ) 


ipo  The  Wisdom  of  God 

gels  and  Saints  thro'  eternal  Ages,  in  as  beautiful 
and  glorious  a  Light,  as  did  the  Dcdrudion  of 
Pharach  and  his  Hoft,  to  Mofes,  when  he  compo- 
ied  and  fang  that  Song  recorded  in  XVth.  Chapter 
o^  Exodus. — The  Egyptians  thought  it  a  Pity,  their 
Tslonarch  and  his  Army  were  loft.     Yea,  to  them 

it   appeared  a  dreadfully   (hocking  Affair. But 

Mofes  fang,  77;<rLoRD  hath  ir'runiphed  gloriously. 
And  was  exceedingly  rejoiced,  to  fee  that  he  had 
thus  J]:ew7i  his  Power^  and  laid  a  Foundation  to  have 
his  Name  declared  thrcughcut  all  the  Earth. 

And  thus  will  it  appear  to  all  the  Inhabitants  of 
Heaven,  when  Satan  and  all  his  Adherents  lie  over- 
?vhehn»d  in  the  Lake  of  Fire  and  Brimflone.  And 
tlierefore  the  heavenly  Hofts  are  reprefented  in 
Scripture,  as  fir.gtng  the  Song  of  Mofes  \  triumphing 
in  the  Deilru6\ion  of  Satan  and  his  Adlierents,  as 
Mofes  did  in  the  Dellruclion  of  Pharaoh  and  his 
Army  I  [R.ev.  XV.  3.)  And  as  repeating  their  Hal- 
lelujahs, exulting  and  rejoycing  while  they  fee  < 
the  Smoke  of  the' r  Torment  ajcending  for  ever  and  ever  / 
(Rev.  XIX.  1,-6.) 

Nor  need  it  fccm  Grange,  that  the  Inhabitants 
of  Heaven,  who  have  fo  great  a  Refpe(5l  to  God,ancl 
are  fuch  hearty  Friends  to  his  Interell  and  to  the 
Honour  of  his  Government,  fliould  fo  entirely  ac- 
<»uiefce  in  the  righteous  Punifliment  of  hi'S  invete- 
rate, obftinate  Enemies.  If  vindidlive  Wrath  were 
nothing  but  groundIefs>  arbitrary  Vengeance,  it 
would  be  quite  another  Thing  :  but  as  it  is  (in  the 
Governor  of  the  World)  nothing  but  Love,io  God, 
to  Virtue,  to  the  beft  Good  of  the  Syflem,  bearin>g 
down  in  a  wife  and  righteous  Manner  the  Enemies 
of  God,  of  Virtue,  and  of  the  Syflem, it  cannot  but 
appear  infinitely  amiable  in  the  Eycaof  the  Inhabi- 

tatUs 


i/i  th  Pernnjfion  of  SX:<.  TJT 

tants  of  Heaven.*  It  is  much  more  firangr,  that 
aay  who  heartily  acquiefce  in  the  Gofpcl-Way  o# 
Salvation,  Ihould  be  ftumblcd  at  the  final  Punifli- 
mentofthe  Wicked.  It  muft  be  ftrange  Partiality 
in  us,  indeed,  to  acquiefce  in  the  Death  of  God's 
own  Son,  when  landing;  in  the  P.oom  of  Sinnfr?^ 
and  yet  to  object  again(i  ihc  Punithmcnt  of  Smncrs 
ihcmfclves.  It  arg'MS,  either  that  we  are  very  fd- 
fiih,or  eife  taut  we  love  the  Son  of  God  lefs  thau 
we  do  God's  ob{>inare  Enemies,  to  be  ccnfent  that 
lie  Ihould  bear  the  Curfc  of  the  Lav/,  but,  loth  that 
they  (houid.  The  fame  Views  which  caufe  \h% 
Sair.is  in  Heaven  to  acquiefce  in  God's  feuing  forth 
hisownSon  to  bea  Propinihon  fcr  Sin,  to  fecurc 
the  Honour  of  the  divine  Juftice,  at  the  fame  Tim« 
lead  them  cordially  to  approve  of  the  eternal  Dam- 
nation of  obftinate  Sinners  ihemfelve?. 

BEsiDEs^to  ufe  theApo!\le*s  own  Words,v/ho  was 
infpired  by  him  who  has  a  perfect  View  of  ail 
Things,  and  knows  what  is  beft  in  fo  important  a 
Cufe,'(Rom.  IX.  22.;  What  ifGod^  zviliing  ujljcwhi^ 
IVrath^  and  inake  his  Power  kmwn^  endured  with  much 
Long-fuffering  the  Vejfels.  of  Wrath  fitted  for  Dejlru^  ion  ? 
What  if  God,  who  doubtlefs  is  the  fitteft  Judge,3nd 
to  whom  alone  theDecifion  of  this  Affair  belongecj,^ 
what  if  God  tho't  it  beft  to  fingU  out  fome  of  his 
apodate  Creatures,  fome  of  hi&  obftinate  Enemies, 
R  -^  Ttsho 

*  Vindictive  Jufllce,  if  I  Diiflake  not,  arlfes  \vholly  iiont 
Love^  and  is  always  under  the  Diredion  cf  iafiniie  Wif:* 
dom.  And  if  fo,  it  is  a^  mniiable  Perfc^flion  in  the  Deity. 
Love  is  the  Sum  ©f  tke  Moral  Law,  which  is  aTr-mfcript 
of  the  nior^l  Perfedlions  of  God  :  Therefore  Love  is.tha 
Sum  of  God's  moral  Perfeiftions.  Love  to  God,  to  Vir- 
tue, and  to  the  Sydem,  will  naturally  iniace  the  Gover- 
nor of  the  World  to  punifh  thofc  who  are  obflinale  Ene- 
mies to  God,  \.Q  Virtue,  aod  tg  ih?  Syftcni;^  »vCCr4ikig  \.% 
Ih^ir  Dcfwuj,  * 


19-  The  Wisdom  of  God 

who  inveterately  hate  him  and  hisGovernmentjand 
Pharaoh-like,  bid  him  Defiance  ;  I  fay,  What  if 
God  tho't  it  bed  to  fingle  out  fome  of  thefe,  to  be 
Examples  of  his  Wrath,  to  be  vifibieMonuments  of 
his  Jullice  and  Power,that  the  whole  Syftem  might 
eiernally  fee  how  infinitely  he  hates  Sin,  and  how 
cafily  he  can  fubdue  his  Enemies,  and  what  a  fear- 
ful Thing  it  is  to  rife  in  Rebellion  againft  him  :  — 
^'Ver.  23.  J  and  that  he  might  make  kiiown  the  Riches  of 
his  Glory  on  the  Vefels  of  Mercy,  zuhich  he  had  a-jore 
prepared  unto  Gbry  :  That,  by  the  Means,  he  might 
ietthe  infinite  P'reenefs  and  Greatnefs  of  hisGrace, 
cxercifed  towards  the  Saved, in  the  moft  confpicuous 
Point  of  Light,  wha  in  their  DePrru^ion  will  cter- 
f:ialjy  fee  v/hat  they  deferved,  and  rsiuft  certainly 
have  endured,  but  for  the  dying  Love  of  Chrift,and 

fovereign  Grace  of  God  ? What  if  infinite  Wif- 

tiom  has  judged  this  the  befl  Plan  ?  Who  is  there 
among  all  finite  Intelligences,that  has  Right  orRea- 
fon  to  object  ? 

Oi>j.  "  But  if  this  Plan  was  really  the  bcft,  Why 
*'  do  not  Mankind  now  prefer  it  above  all  others, 
"  and  heartily  rejoice  in  it  ?  Why  fo  much  Mur-* 
'*  muring  around  the  World  ?'* 

Jnf.  It  was  but  about  an  hundred  Miles  from 
Egypt  to  Canaan,  and  in  forty  Days,  conduced  by 
Almightiness,  the  liVaelites  might  have  marched 
jrom  Egypt  thither  ;  and  the  Canaanites  being  all 
flruck  dead  In  oneNight,  as  an  liiir.drcu  and  eighty- 
five  Thoufand  once  were  in  the  AfTyrian  Camp  ; 
'2  Kings,  XIX.  35.)  the  Ifraelites  might  have  taken 
.nmediate  PolTcllion,  and  fpcnt  their  Days  in  Feaft- 
iRg  and  Joy.  And  had  they  been  offered  their 
Choice,  no  doubt  they  would  have  preferred  this 
Scheme,  before  their  forty  Years  March  in  the 
Wildernefs  ;  s^hcre  the  Lord  led  them  thro*  aLand 
«f  Difarts  and  of  Pits,  through  a  Land  of  Drought, 

and 


in  the  Per?m[fiQn  of  Si^,  1^5 

and  erf  the  Shadow  of  Death,  thro'  a  Land  that  no 
Man  p:uTjd  thra%  and  where  no  iVlan  dwelt;  and 
fuffcred  them  to  hunger  and  tothirft,  and  for  their 
xVlurmurings  under  their  Trials,  ftruck  them  dead 
by  Hundreds  and  Thoufands.  For  they  generally 
cared  only  for  their  ownprefent  carnal  IntereftjEafc 
and  Comfort.  They  had  no  Reliflito  thofeThings 
which  God's  Heart  was  chiefly  fet  upon — Did  not 
want  to  fee  God  exalted,  his  Authority  eftablifhed, 
or  to  be  trained  up  to  a  Life  of  entire  Dependancc 
on  God,  to  have  their  Hearts  humbled  and  broken^ 
and  be  made  to  know  that  not  for  their  Riglueouf- 
nefs  were  they  brought  into  that  good  Land  ;  nor  did 
tliey  care  anyThing  about  thatlnltruflicn  which  fuc- 
ceeding  Generations  might  obtain  from  thcirTrials, 
and  fromGod'sCondu6t  towards  themthofe  4oYear& 
in  theWildernefs.  And  l.adMofesbcen  able  to  open 
to  their  View  the  great  <S:  gloriousEnds  which  v;ere 
likely  to  be  anfwered,  they  foon  would  have  replied, 
'*  And  what  Good  will  it  do  us,  if  all  the  Earth  is 
*'  filled  with  his  Glory,  and  if  all  thefe  Ends  are 
"  accomplilhed,  and  if  it  will  be  better  for  the  Na- 
*'  tion  in  the  long  Run  ?  What  G^fed  will  all  this 
*'  do  us,  £b  long  as  our  Carcafes  fall  here  in  the 
''  Wildernefs  ?  it  had  been  better  for  us  to  have 
"Jived  and  died  in  Egypt.  Yea,  we  had  rather 
"  never  have  been  born,  than  to  undergo  wh^t  wc 
*•  underra,and  di^  here  at  U^/'  Nor  had  it  been  in 
the  Power  of  Mcfes  to  have  Oopt  their  Mouths,  un- 
Jefs  he  could  liave  changed  their  Hearts.  Yea,  not- 
withilandingall  thatGod  himfelf  faid  to  theia,  they 
continued  murmuring  in  tlieir  Tents,  till  he  was 
obliged  to  execute  terrible  Veng^eance  upon  them. 
Faurtecn  Thoujajid  znd /even  Hwich-edwcvz  ftruck  dead 
at  one  Time,  f Num.  XVl.  49.;  Noiu  all thifeThings 
happtned  to  tkern  fir  our  Enp.rmpUs^  andihfy  are  w)  inen 
Jar  Qur  Admoyiltion,  (1  Cor  X.  11.) — It  were  better,. 
R  4  therefore 


Ip4  7*^^^  Wisdom  of  God 

therefore,  if  Mankind  would  leave  inurmiiring  at 
God'sWays, which  are  undoiibteily  all  Wife  ;  whe- 
ther any  Mortal  in  this  prcfent  dark  and  iinpeife<!\ 
State  is  iib!e  to  (hew  tlve  Wifdom  of  them,  or  not. 
If  all  that  bas  been  faid,  appears  to  have  noWeiglit, 
and  we  give  up  God's  Plan  as  being  at  prefent  abfo- 
Jutely  inexplicable  ;  yet,  from  the  infinite  Wifdom 
of  the  Dtity,  it  is  capable  of  (ffttt  DemcnHration, 
that  of  all  pofhble  Plans  he  has  chofe  the  bcl>. 
Therefore,the  Fault  is  not  in  him, but  in  us.  That 
there  were  none  to  be  blamed  in  the  Cafe  of  the 
Iiraelitcs  but  themfelves,  we  now  can  plainly  fee  : 
io  will  itl^Ui^pear  at  tlie  Day  of  Judgment,  that  God 
always  dioilight,  and  acled  wifely.  And  then  ev^- 
ry  Mouth  will  be  fiopt.  And  fince  we  are  certain, 
this  will  iinally  be  the  Cafe,  it  inhnitcly  belter  bs!- 
comes  us  to  ceafe  our  Murmurings,  and  learn  to 
jufiify  God,  and  take  all  the  Blame  to  our  fclves  : 
and  as  we  are  invited,  fo  without  Delay  to  cafl 
away  the  Weapons  of  our  Rebc^Ilion,  return  and 
fubmit  to  our  rightful  Sovereign,  thro'  Je/udChriO, 
now  while  Mercy^s    offered  to  us. 

But  if  ai|^  haughty  Sinner,  Pharaoh-like,  fays,. 
'*  Who  is  the  Lord  r  I  know  not  the  Lord,  nof 
*'  care  for  his  Authority,  or  Government,  nor  will 
«'•  1  humble  my  fclf  berore  him:*' — let  fuch  a  haugh^ 
ty  Wretch  know,  that  the  Almighty  is  above 
liim,~and  can-accomplifli  all  his  Schemes  without 
liii  Confent.  For  iiaving  endured  with  all  proper 
Lc ng-fu fieri ng  fuch  impudtnt  Sinners,  he  can  fliew 
his  Wrath  and  make  his  Power  known  in  their 
eternal  DcftrutSlion,  to  the  Honour  of  his  Name, 
and  to  the  eternal  InftruiTdon  of  the  Saved. 

As  for  thofe  who  leave  the  Honour  of  God,  the 
inlinitely  great  and  glorious  Giod,  the  Author,  Pro- 
prietor and  King  nf  the  whole  Syftem,  abfolutcly 
out  of  the  Accovnt;  as  a  Thing  of  no  Importance, 


;// 


the  PermiJJJon  of  Siih  ic^ 


and  what  theGoveruor  of  the  World  is  not  at  all 
Concerned  aboiit,  and  imagine  that  the  Good  of 
God's  Creatures  and  Subjec^ts  is  the  only  Thing  to 
be  attended  unto,  in  ail  the  divineCondu(5l,  aa  mo- 
ral Governor  of  the  World  ; — as  for  fuch,  I  fay,  jt 
is  impofFible  to  reconcile  any  Part  of  God's  Plan  to 
their  fundamcntaJtMaxim.  For  if  nothing  was  of 
Importance  but  the  Creatures  Good,  why  was  not 
that  folely  atiended  to  ?  Why  were  all  put  on 
Trial  ?  And  why  eternal  Deftrudion  threatned  for 
the  firll:  Offence  ?  Or  ever  threatned  at  all  ?  Or 
the  finning  Angels  expelled  the  heavenly  World, 
and  the  human  Race  all  doomed  to  Demi  for  t/je 
firjl  ^IranfgreJJion  ?  And  if  our  Good  is  all  that  God 
now  has  in  Viewj  why  have  not  more  Pains  been 
taken  for  our  Recovery,  from  Age  to  Age,  from  the 
Beginning  of  the  World  ?  Yea,  why  are  not  infi- 
nite Wifdom  and  almighty  Power  effedually  exerted 
to  render  all  eternally  happy  ?  p'or  the  Saved,  rf 
this  Principle  is  true,  will  be  eternally  grieved  to 
fee  any  of  their  Fellow-Creatures  for  ever  in  Heli- 
Toniicnta.  Nor  can  the  eternal  Torments  of  the 
Damned  anfwer  any  vaiuable  End,  on  this  Mypo- 
ihefis. 

Strange  arc  the  Pofitions,  vi\\\c\i  the  Chtvalur 
Ramsey  has  laid  dov^n  in  Order  to  reconcile  the 
divine  Condud  to  this  Notion.  He  maintainSjthat 
*'  God  did  not  certainly  know  that  his  Creatures 
"  would  fall— And  if  he  had  known  it,  he  couJd 
*'  not  have  hindered  it,  confidently  with  their  free 
*'  Agency — He  has  been  trying  ever  fince  to  re- 
''  claim  them--Intends  to  continue  in  rhe  Ufe  of 
"  Means  till  he  has  reclaimed  them  all— The  Tor- 
*'  ments  of  Hell  being  the  moft  powerful  Means 
"  ofGrace,are  finally  to  be  ufed,with  fuch  as  can- 
"  not  otherwife  be  reclaimed,  merely  out  of  pure 
*'  X^Qve  to  the  Damned,  to  purify  an.d  bring  them 

"  te 


i^S  The  Wisdom  tf  Goi 

•*  to  a  better  Mind— So  all  at  laft  Hiall  be  recovered 

"  and  made  for  ever  happy!" But  if  God  meant 

to  ufe  the  moft  powerful  Means  with  a  fallen  World 
lie  pofubiy  could,  and  that  in  every  Age,  as  upon 
that  Hypotheils  it  muft  be  fuppofed.  Why  did  he 
fend  butoncNoAH  to  the  oid  World  ?  Why  not  2 
or  3000  r  Why  did  he  raifeiip  but  one  MosEs,and 
but  o.ie  Elijah,  and  fend  thenri'only  to  the  Ifrael- 
jtes  ?  Why  did  he  not  raife  up  Thoufands  in  every 
Age  and  Nation  under  Heaven,  and  make  thoro* 
Work  ?  Aittl  why  does  l:ie  not  take  morePains  with 
us  of  this  Age  ?  Raife  up  Tlioufands  as  well  qua- 
lified to  preach  as  St.  Paul  r  And  pour  out  his  Spirit 
on  all  Fiefli,    as  he  did  on  the  30CO  on  the  Day  of 

Pentecoft  ? If  cur  Good  was  all  he  had  in  View, 

and  he  really  intended  to  fave  us  all,  one  would 
think  he  would  new  ufe  ,  the  moft  powerful  Mean* 
to  reclaim  us,  and- not  ftay  till  the  Day  of  Judg- 
ment, and  then  doom  us  to  Hell,  jn.  .orderto  fir  us 
for  Heavjen  ! — —  Belides,  at  that  great' Day,'- a  guilty 
World  will^ find,  that  Chrift  does  not  coiiYe  to  enter 
upon  the  Ufe  of  farther  Means  to  recover  theWick- 
tds  but  to  give  them  thciL^^s!  Doom.  Chrift  will 
not  come  to  fave  a  guilty  World^but  to  judge  them. 
Not  cloathed  with  Love,  hul.'rt^fiitnin^  Eire',  Not 
to  do  them  Good,  but  lo  takeVengtance.  (^iThef.I'.S.) 
Not  out  oi  Love  to  thein,  but  to  jhiw  his  JFrath. 
(Rom.  IX.  22.)  Not  to  purify  them,  but  to  caft 
them,  like  worthlefs  Chaffy  into  unquenchable  Fire, 
(Matt.  III.  12.)  Not  to  fit  them  for,  and  finally  to 
bring  them  to  Heaven,  with  the  good  Wheat,  but 
as  7arei  to  hum  them  up.  (Matt.  XllI  30.  j  Not  aim- 
ing at  their  Good,  as  VefTcIs  of  Mercy,  but  aiming 
at  their  De/iruaion  asVcJfeh  oflFrath.  fRoni.IX_^2.) 
Not  to  difcipline  thf  m  for  a  Seafon,  but  xo  punifi 
them  with  everlafting  Dejlr nation,  (2Thef.  I.  9.J  Send 
them  into  tvcrlajiing  /vW  (Mutt.  XXV.  41.)  intp 

gvo'hjiinf 


.*V 


in  the  Perm'JJton  of  Sin.  197 

tverhfVing  Pumjkment.  (Ver.  46.)  wlice  thilVgrmnc^ 
ver  dle^^  and  the  Fire  is  not  qitenched  (iVlar.  IX.  44,4.^, 
if'i,)  but  thr;  Smoke  of  their  'Vovrntnt  Jhall  afcendfor 

tver  and  ever,  (Rev.  XIX.  3.  J And   the  Eternity 

of  Hell-Torments  will  effedually  convince  the  who'c 
Syftcni,  that  God  iias  an  infinite  Regard  to  fome- 
thin^elfe  befides  merely  the  Good  of  hisCreatures; 
as  it  is  meet  and  fit  he  (hoiild.  (SeeMal.  I.  6, —  14J 
And  this  Part  of  his  Conducl  will  help  to  compleat 
his  Pi6ture,  and  finifh  his  true  Charader,  in  the 
Eyes  of  all  intelligences.  As  yet  Mankind  hardly 
believe  him  in  earned.  Words  do  not  anfwer  the 
End.  But  Actions  fpeak  louder  than  Words,  and 
will  work  a  thoro'  Convidion. 

As  for  the  common  Plea,  that  *'  God  needs  no- 
<*  thing  from  his  Creatures,  and  fo  can  only  aim 
•*  at  their  Good  :'*  It  is  a  Way  of  Reafoning  con- 
trary to  the  univcrfal  Senfe  of  Mankind, in  all  Cafes 
in  any  Meafure  analogous.  The  Father  does  not 
require  Honour  from  his  Son,  merely  becaufe  he 
needs  it  ;  but  becaufe  he^deferves  it.  The  Mafler 
does  not  require  Reverence  from  his  Servant,merely 
becaufe  he  needs  it  ;  but  becaufe  \\i  deferves  it. 
And  if  the  one  (hould  defpife  his  Father,  and  the 
ether  treat  his  Marter  with  Contempt,  they  would 
foon  feel  the  Force  of  that  Reaibning,  in  Mai.  I.  6. 
ji  Son  honour eth  his  Father ^  and  a  Servant  his  A^ajier  :  If 
then  I  he  a  Father  y  where  is  mine  H^bur  ?  And  if  I  he 
a  Mnf}ery  where  is  my  Fear  F  faith  the  Lord  of  Hofts, 
Ver.  8.  Jnd  if  ye  offer  the  Blind  for  Sacrifice^  is  it  not 
Evil  ?  And  if  ye  offer  the  Lame  and  Sic/:,  is  it  not  Evil? 
Offer  it  now  unto  thy  Governor^  will  he  be  pleafed  with 
ihee^  or  accept  thy  Per  [on  ?  faith  the  Lord  of  Hofs.  Ver. 
14.  Cur  fed  be  the  Deceiver^  which  hath  in  his  Flock  a 
Afaley  and  voweth  andfacrifieeth  unto  the  Lord  a  c$rrupt 
T/jing  :  For  1  am  a  CKZ at  King,  faith  the  Lord  of 
Hojh. 

Nor 


1 98  Th  \Visdc3m  of  God 

Nor  is  there  any  Way  to  eriabliCh  that  Maxim, 
■which  yet  Ues  at  the  Foundation  of  almofl  all  the 
modern  Schemes  of  Religion,  but  to  prove,  either 
that  the  Deity  does  not  deferve  fupreme  Honour, 
or  that  the  moral  Governor  of  the  World  is  not 
jud.  For  if  he  dcferves  it,  he  ought  to  have  it. 
And  it  belongs  to  the  moral  Governor  of  the  World 
to  fee  Juftice  done,  i.  e.  to  fee  that  every  one  has 
his  due. 

And  indeed  it  is  the  chief  Happinefs  of  the  In- 
habitants of  Heaven, to  fee  God  univerfally  honour- 
ed, ind  each  one  to  join  to  give  him  the  Giory  that 
is  his  due.  They  inceiTantly  cry,  Holy^  Holy^Holy  is 
the  Lord  of  Hojfs  ;  the  whole  Earth  is  full  of  thy  Glory, 
(Ifai.  VI.  3.)  They  fail  down  before  the  T krone  ^  and 
ivorJJnp  him  that  liveih  for  ever  and  ever^  and  cajl  their 
Crowns  before  the  Throne^  faying^  Thou  art  worthy  to  re- 
ceive Glory ^ ,  and  Honour ^  a-nd  Poiver  :  for  thou  haji 
zreatcd  all  Things  ;  and  for  thy  Pleafure  they  are  a?id 
were  created.  (Rev.iV.  10,  11.) 

If  the  Honour  of  God  is  of  infinite  Importance 
in  it  felf — then  it  is  infinitely  defirable  for  it  klf — 
und  then  to  fee  God  honoured  and  exalted,  will  be* 
of  allThings  mofl  happifying  to  holy  Intelligences^^ 
And  that  Plan  which  is  fuited  to  this,  will  be  the 
moft  happifyingPlan — And  there  may  be  tlie  greateft 
Degree  of  Happinefs  on  fuch  a  Plan,  and  yet  all 
lliings  be  fo  contrived  as  that  it  may  eternally 
appear  in  the  moft  ftriking  Light,  that  there  was 
fomething  God  had  an  infinite  Regard  to,  befides 
the  Happinefs  of  his  Crearures-- — On  this  Hypo- 
thefis  all  the  Parts  of  God's  prefent  Plan  may  be 
accounted  for. 

But  if  the  Honour  of  God  is  of  no  Importance 
in  it  felf — then  it  is  not  defirable  for  it  ielf — nor 
will  it  be  a  happifying  Sight,  to  fee  God  exalted  — 
nor  th^it  Plan  that  is  fuited  to   exalt  God,  a  happi- 

'  {ymg 


tn 


the  Vermijjion.  c/ Si^,  fp^' 


fying  Plan— vea,  no  good  End  can  be  anfwered  by 
fuch  a  Plan— and  lb  no  Part  of  God's  prcfent  Pisa 
can  be  accounted  for. 

If  t!ie  Crcitifre's  Happincfs  is  the  only  Thing  of 
Worth—then  infinite  Wildoni  and  almighty  Power 
fiiould  be  employed  ouly  to  promote  it — uid  tho 
everlaftiiig  Punidiment  of  the  Damrnid  can  anfwer 
710  good  End:  as,  on  this  Hypothefis,  none  can  dc- 
ferve  it,  nor  can  God  defire  it,  or  any  holy  Beingj 
acquiefcc  in  it,  or  receive  any  Inftruc^tion  fro  ii  it.  *^ 

And  T'hy  God  ever  permitted  Sin  or  Mifery  to 

enter  into  his  WorId,wiii  be  iblbltitcly  unaccoun- 
table :  as  will  eveiy  Step  God  bas  taken  with 
fallen  Intelligences  ever  fincc  Satan's  Apoitacy.  For 
why  did  not  God  inl^antly  reftore  fallen  Angels  and 
fallen  Man,  and  immediately  coniirni  them,  if  thsir 
Welfare  was  the  o?:iy  Thing  of  Worth  ? 

In  a  Word,  1  humbly  conceive,  this  Pofition, 
that  the  IVelfare  of  Creatures  isSe  onlyTh'pig  of  IVorthy 
a}id  the  only  "Thing  to  he  regarded  hy-'ihc  moral  Govcrn-Atr 
of  the  Univerfc^  is  one  of  the  inolV  groundiefs,  irra- 
tional, unfcriptural  Pofitions,  that  ever  \^as  laid 
down  ;  little,  if  any  Thing  Ihort  of,  nay,  vvorfe 
than  the  groiTert  Abfurdities  pradifed  by  the 
Heathen,  For  what  <lid  they  worfe  than  worjij'p  and 
fej-ve  the  Creature  7n'ne  than  the  Creator  ?  [Rom.  I.  25  ) 
But  on  this  HypothcTis,  the  Creature  alone  is  to  he 
ferved\  and  God  himfelf,  the  glorious  Creator  is  to 
become  his  almighty  ^tfr'LWz/  ;  and  to  be  loved  only 
and  merely   for  his  Faithfulnefs  in  the  Creature's 

Service  : The  Creature  has  taken  the  Throne, 

and  theCrearor  is  become  his  Servant. No  Won- 
der, fuch  a  Scheme  fuits  the  Heart  of  fallen  Crea- 
tures. And  its  being  ever  broached,  or  ever  re- 
ceived, in  God's  Dominions,  by  any  of  his  Crea- 
tures, is  a  full  Demonliration,  that  ihey  are  fallen 
S  indeed. 

(*Scc  tlils  proved  ia  my  Tru>e  Relrgloti  ddbiealed,  P.  215.) 


i 


icd  T^e  Wisdom  of  Col 

indeed.  Yea,  not  only  fallen,  but  funk  into  fe 
great  Degeneracy  and  Delufion,  as  to  think,  that 
God  himfejf  is  iallen  too,  and  quite  turned  to  be 

of  their  Side. And   now    they   Jove   him,   and 

tJiInk  all  is  well  !  PfaJm,  L.  21.  Thou  thoughuji  I 
lias  altogether  fuch  a  one  as  thy  felf»' 

But  it  is  Time  to  proceed,  as  was  propofed, 
III.  To  make  fome   pradlical  Improvement  of 
the  whole.  And, 

I.  What  has  been  faid  may  be  of  ufe  to  afTift 
«s  to  form  right  Ideas  of  God.  The  Law  gives 
us  a  true  Pidure  of  the  moral  Perfedions  oF  the 
divine  Nature.  God  is  exadtiy  what  the  Law  fpeaks 
him  to  be. Y«t  the  Gofpel  fets  his  moral  Per- 
fections in  a  ftill  clearer  Light :  the  Glory  of  God" 
ihines  exceeding  brightly  in  theFace  of  Jeius  Chrifl-. 
. —  But  God's  univerfalPlan  comprehending  Law  and 
Gofpel,  and  all  God's Difpenlations  from  theFoun- 
dation  of  the  World  to  the  final  Confummation  of 
all  Things,  fets  his  moral  Charader  in  the  com- 
pleateft  nnd  mod  ftrlking  Point  of  Light  ;  and  puts 
lis  under  vaft  Advantages,even  in  this  prefent  State, 
to  n^ake  a  fwift  Progrefs  in  the  Knowledge  of  the 
Deity. Indeed,  had  we  that  high  Rehlh  for  di- 
vine Knowledge,  that  goodTalle  for  divine  Beauty, 
-which  they  in  Heaven  have,  our  Proficiency  might 
bear  a  great  Refemblance  to  theirs. — But,  Oh  how 
ftupid  are  we  to  divine  Things  I  Having  Eyes  to 
fee,  and  fee  not  :  Ears  to  htar,  and  hear  not  ;  nei- 
'  her  do  we  underfland  :  Hearts  of  Stone,  that  have 
.0 Feeling.  We  are  even  as  Beafts  before  him. 
£0  that  wliile  his  Glory  (liines  all  around  us,  we 
arc  in  profoundDarkncfs. — O  for  the  Influences  of 
the  blefled  Spirit,  to  awaken  our  Attention  to  the 
Manifefiations  he  makes  of  himfelf,  and  to  give 
lis  a  true  Tafte  and  Reliih  to  the  Beauty  of  divine 
Things !  Then  v/ould  our  Hearts  be   e„plarged,  to 

love 


/;/  the  Per:niJJhn  of  SiN.  2  ot 

love  the  Lord  our  God,  and  to  fear  him,  and  to 
walk  in  all  his  Ways,  and  to  rejoice  in  the  Wifdoni 
of  his    univerfal   Government.     O  for  that  bleiied 
Day,  when  we  lliall  receive  the  holy  Spirit  in  a  full 
and  perfect  Meafure  !  Then  (hall  we  fee  no  longer 
in   this  dark  Manner,  but  as   it  were  Face  to  Face, 
Shall  in  a  Meafure,  at  once,  take  in  the  Idea  which 
God  has  exhibited  of  himfelf,  and  be  ravilhed  with 
the  Wifdom,Glory  and  Beauty  of  his  univerfal  Plan. 
2.  What  has  been  faid  may  be  of  ufe  to  alTu]: 
us  not  only  to   form  right  Notions  of  all  finite  In- 
telligences, as  being  in  their  bell  Eftate  at  an  infinite 
Remove   from  Self-fufficiency  and   abfolute  Indc- 
pendence,  the   peculiar  Prerogatives  of   him  who 
alone  is  by  Nature  Immutable  ;  but  it  may  alfo  be 
of  fpecial  Ufe  to  afTift  us  to  juft  Notions  of  the  true 
Chara(£ter  of  Mankind  now  in  their  fallen  Sig     . 
Fac^s  are  ftubborn  Things.     The  Heady  '  Conduv  ^ 
of  Mankind,  from  the  Fall  to  this  Dav,  gives  their 
true  Charader  beyond  Difpute.     Only  ihjnk  what 
they  ought  to  be,  perfccftly  in  Love  with  Cod,  and 
full  of  Love  to  one  another  ;    and  fee   what  their 
Condudl  has  always  been  towards   God,   and  to- 
wards one  another. — Towards  God.     Te  do  ahvays 
reji/i  the  Holy  Ghofl  :  as  your    Fathers    did,  fo   do   v^, 
Which  of  the  Prophtts  have  not  your  Fat  hers  perfecute  . 
And  they  have  flam  them  which  fJjewed  before  of  the  C^m  - 
ing  of  the  fiji  One  ;  of  %vhom  ye   have  been  new  the 
Betrayers  and  Murderers.   {^A6l.  VII.  5r,   52.) — To- 
wards  one   another.     Livings  in   Malice   and  Envy^ 
hateful  and  hating  one  another.   (Tit.  111.  3.) 
Who  live  in  Hatred,  Enmity  and  Stnfe 
Among  themfelves,  and  levy  cruel  Wars, 
Walking  the  Earth,  each  other  to  dertroy  : 
As  if  (which  might  induce  us  to  accord) 
Man  had  not  liellilh  Foes  enough  bcfides, 
Tiut  Day  and  Night  for  his  Dcl\iu«51ion  wait. 

Mm     :. 


'02  The  Wisdom  of  Goi 

And  io  ob{l:inate  in  their  finful  Ways,  that  In 
Fad  no  external  Means  have  ever  been  able  to  re- 
claim them.  So  alienated  from  God,  that  no  Ar- 
guments can  perfuade  them  to  be  reconciled.  So 
^hat  notwithOandine;  all  the  outward  Means  which 
have  been  ured,5'et  hili  theWorld  is  as  it  was.  The 
Chnilisn  Nations  very  little  better,  if  fo  good,  as 
lumcI-Jeithen  have  been.  [Mat.  Xil.  41.) 

3.  What  has  been  faid  may  be  of  ufe  to  rea- 
lize to  us  the  infmitely  evil  Nature  and  dreadful 
<^  onfequences  of  Sin.  Let  us  view  the  Lake  of 
i"ire  and  Brimdone,  and  fee  what  will  be  the  JfTuc 
of  the  grand  Rebellion.  Sin  has  turned  Angels  into 
Devils,  and  baniflit  them  from  Heaven,  and  will 
corifine  tbem  for  ever  to  the  burning  Lake,  with 
ail  their  Adherents  from  this  apoftate  World.  Let 
ns  view  God'sCor.ducl  towards  Sin  from  the  begin- 
i.ing  of  the  World  to  the  Confummation  of  all 
'i  lnngs,and  we  may  fee  how  infinitely  he  hates  it, 
<ind  how  refolved  he  is  to  fupprefs  it.— Oh,  how 
n-.fmitely  dreadful  had  hc.n  our  Cafe  in  this  fallen 
\VorId,  had   a  Saviour  never  been  provided  I 

4.  What  has  been  faid  rends  to  give  us  the 
fabiimefi:  Ideas  of  the  divine  Interpofition  on  the 
Kidl  of  Man,  to  defeat  Satan's  Deligns,  and  bring 
infinite  Good  out  of  all  the  Evil  that  Satan  intended. 
■ — -O  the  Depth  of  the  Knowledge,  Wifdom 
wtA  Grace  of  God  !  Glorious  in  Kohnefs,  fearful 
inPraiks,  doing  Wonders  1  This  Theme  is  worthy 
of  eternal  Contemplation,  and  will  appear  new 
and  t'refli  and  raviihing  thro'  eternal  Ages,  to  all 
tne  bicfied  Inhabitants  of  the  upper  World  :  Efpc- 
cially,  to  the  Bride,  the  Lamb's  Wife.  The 
Sjvcd  from  among  Men  will  have  feme  Idta.^  and 
joys  quite  peculiar  to  themfelves,  that  even  the 
■:lc6t  Angels  will  not  intermeddle  with  :  ^iidfiig 

a  new  Song^  that  none  can  learn^  hut  thofe  who  were,  re- 
timed from  thu  Earth,  (Rr^,X,lV.  3.)        5. What 


in  the  Perm'ijjion  of  Sli<,  203 

5.  What  infinite  Madnefs  are  th:  Sons  of  Men 
guilty  of,  that  they  can  be  ina'-tentive  to  a]]  this  glo- 
rious Grace,  go  on  fecure  in  Sin,  and  pcrfift  in  their 
Adherence  to  Satan's  intereft,  ahho'  they  know  that 
Satan  and  hisHofls,  &,aU  hisAdherents,  are  dertin'd 
to  the  Lake  of  Fire  arid  Hrimflone  ?  "  O  poor, 
"  blind,  infatuated  Creatures  I  to  adhere  to  Satrfn, 
*'  our  ftrft  Bftemy,  who  io  maliciouily  fou^^ht  our 
*'  total  Ruin,  deceived  the  happy  Pair,  and  plungeti 
*'  ail  this  World  in  Wo*  !  to  adliere  to  him  wheii 
**  he  ftili  dcfigns  yourRuin  !  to  be  deaf  to  the  kind 
'*  Calls  of  the  Son  of  (toJ,  who  ir.ear\s  to  defeat 
*'  SaUn's  B«ligns,  and  has  died  in  the  Caufe,  and 
*'  now  reigns  in  Heaven  with  the  fame  Views,  and 
"  invites  us  all  to  fubmit  to  his  Government  and 
^*  tru.l  in  his  Blood !  And  can  you  ftill  go  on  in 
''  bold  Ociiance  of  almighty  Vengeance  ?  and  make 

"  a  Jeil  of  eternal  Burnings  ?" Oh^l^ov/ horrid 

the  Thougiit  !  infinitely  horrid  the  Thought,  that 
lb  many  of  the  human  Race  are  daily  imprecating 
Damnation  upon  themfelves,  calling  upon  God  to 
damn  their  Souls  to  Hell  !  Poor  Creatures,  they  lit- 
tle think  what  DLmnation  means  !  they  little  think 
■what  it  is  to  fall  into  theHands  of  the  livingGod  !— - 
Who  that  lovts  God,  or  has  any  CompalFion  for 
immortal  Souls,  can  think  of  the  prefent  blind  and 
miferable  State  of  a  fallen  V/orld,  and  not  long  for 
the  bleffcd  Day,  when  Satan  (hall  be  bound,  anci 
the  Mefilah  reign  on  Earth  ? 

6.  But  let  me  conclude  the  whole  with  an  Ad* 
drefs  to  the  fpiritual  Seed  of  Jacob. 

As  Ja«ob  was  in  great  Didrefs,  when  his  Son's. 
Coar,  all  befmeared  with  Blood,  wiis  brought  into 
his  Piefence,  and  faid,  "»  Surely  he  is  rent  inpieccs^ 
"  and  I  fhall  fee  him  no  more  I"  and  afterwards 
when  Simeon  was  left  in  Egypt,  Things  looked; 
4arker  ftill,  "  Jofeph  is  not,  and  Simcoixi§.  not,anc| 


-.-^  ^he  Wisdom  of  Go  J 

•  now  will  ye  take  away  Benjamin  alfo  !  all  thefe 
"  Thines  are  sgainft  me  !"  and  yet  in  the  End,  he 
faw  the  Wifdom,  fieauty  and  Glory  of  the  whole 
P]an  which  God    had  laid  :    fo  fliail    it  be    here. 
How  dark  loever  the  prefent  State  of  the  World  is, 
and  iiow  darkfoever  it  has  been  for  long  i^ges  paft, 
that  it  has  hardly  looked  like  God's  World,  but  ra- 
ther  like   a  World  where  Satan  rci^  j  and  how 
impolTible  foever  it  may  feem,    that  all  fhould  iiTue 
■vveJl  ;  yet  we  have  the  greatefl  Reafon  to  believe  it 
will,  and  to  rejoice  in  theProfpe6l  of  that  blelTedDay. 
For  this  is  the  very  Fhn  which  infinite  Wifdom 
chofe   before    all    other   podlble  Plan^  :     the  vpry 
l^lan  which  God  hiirifelf  laid  out — all  the  Parts  laid 
niitupcn  Defign — every  Thing  adjufted  by  infinite 
Vifdom.     The  Whole  , therefore,  miift  be  perfecit 
\  Wifdom,  Glory  and  Beauty  j  and  will  appear  fo, 
hen  once  it  is  finifhed. 

Look  through  the  leflerParts  of  God's  great  and 

imiverfal  Plan^hisDifpcnfations  tojacob  andjofeph, 

oMofes  and  the  Ifraelitcs  of  old  ;  thefe,  although 

'ice  very  dark,  are  now  full  of  Light,  and  eafy   to 

.  underllood.     And  if  God's  Works  are  wife  and 

.utjful,  fo  far  as  we  can  underftand  them,  this  ar- 

ics  the  whole  arefo.  For  doubtlefs  all  are  of  aPiece, 

e  Author  being  the  fame,  and  always  a(5ling   iik« 

-  .m;e]f.  :;^r  ■ 

f'EGiDE'^;  rotwlthflariying  the  dreadful   State  of 

..eVVorld  in  our  Day,  -and  in  all   Ages  paO,  there 

:?.y  be  Time  enough  yet,  before  the  Day  of  Judg- 

tnt,  for  fuch    great  Events   as  rnay  put  quite  a 

Vv  Face  upon  ttie  whole.     Nor  need  we  ^oi.bt  the^ 

ccomplilhment  of  thefe  great  Events,  because  they 

ive  h^<:n    fo  long  delayed.     It  is   Gad's  Way  to 

rcmife,  aiid  make    his    People  wait  ;  but  he  was 

ver  known  to  dTappoint  their  Expe(5^ations.    l^o 

-dam  he  faid;,  Tbf  ^$ed  of  tin  IVmmiJhall  truife  ihi 


1 

in  the  PermiJJhn  of  Sm*  t6j 

Serpent's  Head.  Adam  lived  above  nine  Hundred 
Years,  and  looked,  and  waited,  and  d||P  But 
it  was  above  elevtn  Hundred  Years  after  h's  Death 
before  God  ever  fo  much  as  mentioned  his  antient 
Proiiiife.  A!l  h's  Porterity  on  Ea^th,  eight  only  ex- 
cepted, de:troy'.^d.  mean  while,  in  the  general  De- 
luge. That  fome  perhaps  were  ready  to  think, 
God  hnd-quite  f;)rj->t  his  Promife. —  Till  in  the 
Days  oi'  Abralinm  it  was  renewed  ——Again  they 
look,  but  ftlll  It  does  not  come — but  long  dark  Ages 
intervene,  and  his  Pe^e  are  Mi^  to  wait  about  two 
Thoaland  Years  more. —Ann  then  behold,  it  is 
come  !  th^  joytul  Day  is  c.me  !  /  kring  ynt  good 
Ticlhigs  nf great  Joy.  laid  the  Angel,  for  this  Day  the 
Savhur  is  born  ! 

I  SEE   not  why  the  Predi<f\ions  of  the  glorious 
Days  are  not  as  full  and^*pJain,  as  were  the  Predic-     ' 
tions  of  the  IVl^l;>h  :  nor  why  we  may  not  as  hrmly 
believe  the   fetting   up  of  his  King«iom,  as  of  old 
tlicy  believed  his  coming  in  the  Flefli.   It  is  certain, 
this  is   a  great  Objection  of   the  Jews  againft  our 
Jefifs  being  the  true  Mtffiah,  that  the  Tilings  pro- 
p!:clied  of  the  Mefiiah  have  never  been  fullilled  in 
him.     T'hat  the  Kaiions  J})ould  heat  their  Swords  into     i 
Plow-Jroares^  and  their  Spears  into  Pruning- hochy   and 
kayn  IVar  no  mors.     Jnd  that  there  fl^ould  be  ?ioihing  to 
hurt  nor  offerj/d  \  the   Knowledge  of  the  L',>d filling  ,''.      ' 
Earth  as  thiWaiers 4o  ihe  Sfas.  kc.Scc.  Nor  do  1  .  [ 

any  pofiTibie  Way  to'anfwer  their'  Objection,  but  to    i 
fay,  ThefeThingSr:aj-e  ftill  to  be  accomplifhed.  «] 

And  if  they  Ihould  be   accompUfhed'in  all  that     \ 
Glory,  in  which  they  are  painted  jh  the  prophetic 
Defcriptions,  nothing  hinders  but  tfcaf  this  Plan,  of  ,  J 
all  p'jllible  Plans,   mayat  lafl:  a6lu:;Ily  prove  to  be    ,j 
t(\e  beft,  in  all  Refpe^s  the  bell.     Mod  for  God's 
GI07,  and  moft  for  the  Good  of  the  Syftcm  too. 
Yea,  (o  far  as  we  are  able  to  fee,    it  fc€jns,  as  if 
this  «iui"t  be  the  C^ie,  It 


,.    7";^^  Wisdom  of  Cod 

It  is  Matter  of  the  greateft  "Joy,   that   all  the 

Affair^gtof  the  Uiiiverfe   are   coniuctcd   by  inhnite 

Wiidimi.     Jt  is  an  Honour  thut  belongs    ro   God, 

to  govc^rn  tl;e   World  which  he  has  niade ;  to  j^o- 

vern'his  own   World;  to  lay   out   and    order    the 

AlTjirs  of  his  own  Family. — We  think,  we  have  a 

■Right  to  lay  outSclicmes  for  our  own  Families,  and 

fhould  take  it  ill  if  our  Children  or  Servants  (hould 

difpuie  our  Righ^     Sovereign  Monarchs  in  Time 

of  War  think  ihey  have  a   Right  to  lay  out  a  Piarv 

o\  Opt^ration  fur  a|^n!uin^Lampaign,  and  would 

take  It  .'li^t  rheir  Wght'  llSljld  be    difputed  by  a 

pm'atc  SolJier.     Much  more  has   God  a  Right  tQ 

,•  out  a  univ^^rfa!   Plan,   for  the   Condut^t   rj    all- 

Juugs    in  a  World    to  which  he  has  an  original, 

lerived,  abfolute  Right  ;  nor  can  he  look  upon 

-  Worn  that  dares  difpu^e  his  Right,  but  With 

nite     C'oRttnipt    and   Deteftation. And,    O 

nt  Ma:ttr  of  infinite  Joy  it  is,  that  he  has  taken 
^.  Work  upon  himfelf  !  'Not  Ic-^ft  Tilings  to  the 
p^viPs  Conrro>;1,nor  to  be  decided  by  the  LuAs  of 
an  a;>ol'tute  World,  nor  left  all  'Things  to  mere 
Chniice  ;  but  himfelf  in  infinite  "Wifdcm  has  laid 
out  a    univerfa'    Finn,  a  FUn  perfect  in  Glory  i.nd 

Beauty. N«'Moj-tnK  that   l.ov&s   his   Plan,   will 

th  nk  of  difputing  hij..  Sight  to  lay  it.  And  no 
ortal,  that  ioxes  God  himfelf,  that  loves  hi.§  T.aw, 
d  loves  his  Gofpe!,  tan  be  an  Enemy- to  his  uni- 
riai  PJcn.  Fpr  they  all  parrske  of  the  fame  Nar 
e,  a'.d  ihhie  fonh  in  the  fame  Kind  of  Beauty, 
'  )',   Ja/i  and    Gnod. 

O  YE  Seed  of  Jacob,  Joftph  Is  fafe,    and  Bcnja^ 

n  is  fafe  : — the  Fonour  of  God  ik  fafe,  and   the 

■od  of  the  Syflem  is  fafe  ;  all    is  in  good  Hands, 

a  id  under  the  Ccno'u(5i  of  infmite  Wifdotp,     For 

the  Counjel  of  the  L^^d  jhall  jIan.U  and  he  will  do  all  his. 

FLojim.    (xiiu  XL  VI.  I  O.J  Wherefore    fet    your 

He4rt§ 


3>j  the  PenniJJlon  of  Six. 


\     ^il 


.c^' 


Hearts  at  Reft.  For  let  the  State  of  theWorld  and 
or  the  Church  look  ever  io  dark,  you  may  fafely 
tru/1  ill  the  Lordy  cindjhy  your  fAves  upon  your  God^ 
who  is  engaged  in  Honour  to  conduct  all  well.  And 
for  iiis  GREAT  Name's  s'AKE,he  will  not  fail  to  do 
it.  (Sec  Ezek.  XX.)  You,  therefore,  may  with  tl\e 
utinv:{l  Serenity  leave  tiie  Govenunent  ofiheWorld 
with  him,  and  put  an  Implicit  Faith  in  his  Wifdom 
and  Fidelity,  and  have  nothing  to  do, but  yourDuty, 
Nothing,  but  to  attend  upon  the  Bufmefs  he  haS 
marked  out  for  you.  Like  a  faithful  Soldier  in  aa 
Army,  who  trulls  his  General  to  conduCl  Af/airs, 
while  he  devotes  himfelf  to  mind  the  Bufmefs  he  Is 
fet  aboui:  And  the  more  he  rejoices  in  thcWifdoin 
of  his  GVw/YV,rhe  more  alert  will  he  be  in  difcharg- 
ing  the  Duties  or  a  Soldier.     Wherefore,  R^J:;Tce  in 

the  Lord  alivays.     JgaiJi  Ifiy^  Rejoice. Let  this  be 

your  tirft  Aiaxim,  The  Lord  reigneth  :  and  this  your 
Pradice,  Let  the  Earth  rejoice,  (Pfal.  XCVIL  \.) 

But  it  mufl  be  with  an  holy  Joy.  With  fuch  a 
Joy  as  refults  from  a  fupreme  Love  to  Go\y  and 
Hatred  of  Sin,- as  an  infinite  Evil.  With  fuch  a  Joy 
as  St.  Paul  defcribcs,  i  Cor.  XIIL  6.  Charily  rejoic- 
eth  not  in  Iniquity,  but  in  the  Truth,  For  no  other  Joy 
will  anfAer  to  the  Nature  of  God's  univerfal  Plan, 
which  is  altogether  fuited  to  exalt  the  Deity,  and 
fct  Sin  in  an  infinitely  odious  Point  ot  Light,  and  to 
caufe  Truth  and  Right  univerfally  to  take  Place. 

There  are  fome  who  fay  they  are  Jews^  "aiid  are  ;/  .\ 
but  are  ofiheSynagjgueofSatan  ;  whofay^tliey  trull  ,  i 
the  Lord,  vvhde  at  the  fame  Time,  the  ^aine  ofd  i 
is  biiifphenieJ  through  their'unri<j;hteous  and  ungouiy 
Lives.  So  once  tliero  was  a  mixt  Multitude  camp 
out  of  Egypt,  and  joined  m  the  geiierai  Joy  at  th: 
S.ue  of  the  Rt  d  Sea,  merely  from  felriih  V^icv  j 
bu:  the  Lord  knew  Iiow  to  try  them  ;  arAJ  their  ;  / 
cvc  lon^   was  turned   to  Murmuring.     FoV  tli    •• 

■    H...:3 


^i 


The  Wisdom  of  Goi 

Hearts  were  not  right  with  God  :  and  their  Car- 
cafes  fell  in  the  Wijdernefs. 

0  Y£  Seed  of  Jacob,    Trials,    many  Trials  are 
^ "X   to  be  expe(5led,  dark,  and  gloomy  Days,  while 

c  davvning  Light  of   the  glorious  .Morning  comes 

gradually  on.     Get  ready  therefore  for  Trials.     Be 

willing,that  all  Flefi  Jhould  be  brought  low,  and  thai  the 

I   Lord  al«ne  jhould  be  exalted,  (I  fa.  II.  17.)   Seek  Me  chiefs^ 

■^   ye  Meek  of  the  Earthy  for  ft  may  be,  ye  may  be  hid  in  the 

f    Day  of  the  Lord's  Jnger.  fZcph.  II.  3.)  For,  bchdd.the 

Day  Cometh  that  J})all  burn  as  an  Oven,  and  all  theProudy 

yea,    all  that  do  wickedly  Jloall  be  Stubble  ;  and  the  Day 

that  ccmcth  jTjgU  burn  them  up,  faiih  the  Lord  of  Hcjh, 

L'   that  it  J})all  leave  neither  Root  nor  Branch  :   But  unto  you 

r.t  fear  my  Name,  fall  the  Sun  of  FJtghtecufnefe  arife 

:h  heading  in  his  JVings,  (Mai.  IV.  l,  2.)   Alany  jhall 

run  to  and  fro,  and  Knowledge  fall  be  increcfed,  (Da/I, 

"l\.  4.)  Many  Jhall  bi  purified  and  made  white,  and 

rd^:  but  the  JVicked  fall  do  wickedly  :  and  none  cf  the 

■eked fall  underjland,  but  the  JVife  fall  under/land. 

:  er:  I©.)  BiefTed  is  ihat  Mai1,who  (hall  overcome 

T-rials,|and  be  true  to  theMefllah's  Interefl:  thro* 

C.hariges,  for  he  fall  fland  in  his  Lot  at  the  End  of 

Days,  ih'the  ger.cral  Alll-mbly  of  the  Juft  inHea- 

.-.(Ver.  13.J   fP^ae\  therefore,  and  pray  always  ^t  hat 

my  he  accounted  vjcr thymic  ffcape  ail  thofe  things  that 

1  c:?ne  to  pafs,    hndtoflafid  lej$re  the   Sen  of  Man, 

wk.  xxr.  36.) 

'^IjraiLiT  -\   ''  '"'-Diffidence,  entire  Dependence 

Jud,  tlie  ::.Qurcc  of  conliant  Watchfulnefs 

u  -jndPrayer.ptritaly  become  us,^  arc  exactly  fui^d 

;  to  the  State  of  Things  in    the    inteHediual  Syflcm. 

^  Sitan  a  glorious  Arch- angel  fell — Adam  the  rather 

'nfthe   humm   Race  fell — all  M4nkind    now  in    a 

ien  State — the  Powers  of  Daikncfs  determined  on 

r  R.iin.     No  Room,  therefore  is  left    for  Pride, 

i-CoUiidenccj  Self- Dependence.  Hvli  is  our  pro- 


I  in  the  PermiJ/ton  of  Sm. 

,  ^.rDue  :  and  free  Grace  through  Jefus  ChrjCl:,  ui 
only  Hope.  Snares  and  Dangers  are  all  aroui:jd  us. 
Wdich  a?idPra)\  thcrck;;.c,  thai  ye  enter  net  hiio  'I cap- 
tation. 

God  is  the  only  Being  by  Nature  Tm mutably 
Good.  Were  we  innocent,  we  might  poiTibly  fall ; 
and  God  would  he  unobligt-d  to  hold  us  up.  Now 
tve  are  Smri.Ts,  now  we  are  already  fallenCreatures, 
there  is  no  Hope  in  ourCafe,but  we  rtiall  totally  and 
finally  fall  if  left  to  ourfelves,  and  as  certainly  perilh 
as  we  now  cxift.  And  whiUi^  ftiail  we  Jock  for 
Help  ?  but  to  tlie  only  ijfimutable  Beiip.  And 
how  ?  but  thro'  theMerlts  and  Mediation  ofChrifl  ; 
being  infinitely  unwortiiy  that  God  ihouid  hold  us 
up.     And  yet  our  eternal  Intereft  lies  all  at  Stake. 

"  O  THOU  Father  ot  our  Spirits,   araidft  tea 
«'  Thoufand  Dangers,    apoftatc,    felt-ruined,   felf-. 
<«  deflroyed,   hclplefsj   Hell  our  Due,    we    iopk  to 
«'  Thee  !  O   help  us  !  O  hold  us  up  I  O  keep   ■■" 
«'  h)  thy  Power,  thro' Faith Jfcfc  Salvation  ;  t' 
*'  Glory  of  thyfree  Grace  thro^^fu>'v'!irifl  !  Aiu m. 

NO^f'^io  hi?n^  ivho  loved  us  a>id ^_r.vc  '■■rrjc'lffor  2:  .  -fi 
h'tn  be  Ghrjfy  Honour  aiid  Pr  ijer  and  . 

Amen.  tt' 


FINIS. 


E    R    R    J    r    .^\ 
In  the  Preface,  Page  i .  Line  4  from  theBottom,  for  accoun-- 
tabioi  Read  unaccQuntabU, 


The 


A 


Xhe  Contents. 

77m  DiviNi'Ht'    cf  Christ. 


S  it  reafonahtei    to  believe  a  DoHrlue    rvf^  cannot  fully 
undsrji:ind  ?     Pag.   i. — Wai    Cf^^rifl  ih&  'Creator^    or 

r/>'  an  Injlriumnt  in  Creation  ?  p.  4 Was    he   the   G§A 

Ifaac^Sacob,  Mofss^  on  IMowW 
Sinai  ?  p    ^.—The  King    of  JjTarl  ?  p.  y .—Who  dnvel^ 


nvho  appeared  to  Abraham^  Ifaac^  Sacob,  MfsSy  on  Alotu 


f'cir  Tabefnacle^  p   %,  -And-  'temple,  p.  9. — /Appeared 

■  iah  on  aT^one  hj^' and  lifted  ffp\,  p.   lo.-r-^^'  ivhom^ 

(  -z'}>  Jh^egfiall  bciv^.  11. — cpckcn  of  as  ftipr£9ve  God  in 

the  'XCVlhh  and  ChftdPfalms  ?  ,^.12.— What  Right  had 

^  •"'.avieni -Writers  to  apply  to  Ckrifl  Pajj'ages  out   cf 

hiricntt  plainly  fpokeh  cf  the   Gcci   of  Ijrael  ? 

''"iji  claim  to  be  the  liing  of  Ifrael^  and 

^v.t  to  Death  as   a  Biafphevier  ?    p.  6,- 

itind  25.  —  i/^  he  indeed  the  very  Gcd  und  Kifjg  of  Jfrael  ? 

p.  13. — WiMt  greater  Evidence  of  his  Divinity  could  have 

hen  given  §f.^.  14. — Whence  arife  our  Doubts  ?  p.  \6.  and 

d^.—He^^ared  as    a  Alan.  ■p.  18 — Jn   the  Form  of  a 

Servant .^CLO'—Rfceived  his  /Authority  from   his  Father, 

p.  20.  —  And  'will  r£fon  his  Kingdom    to    him.    p.  2h. — 

Injinit-e  IVfdom  has  taken   the  beji  Method  to  determine  his 

trueCharahcr.  p.   15. — Texts ^  the  Arians  build  their  Schetne 

upon,    explained.  Matt.  XIX.  16.  p.  ly.-^Mark  Xlil;  ^i. 

p.  19. — Job.  V.  30.  p.  20. — Joh.  X.34.  p.  J5  ^^iCor. 

XV.  28.  p.   21.— Col.  I.    15.  p.  21.-— RcFiJlI.  14.    p. 


^.  <bc.  <j(. 


The 


CONTENTS. 

The    MlLLENl^IUM. 

THE  good  Man, attached  to  the  Inter ejl  QftheRedeeTrer^ 
(p  44.)  'would  he  overwhelmed  nuith  Grief,  (p  45.) 
^ere  not  hisCaufe  finally  to  prevail,  (p  46.)  — For  their  Sup* 
port  yihis  nvas  foretold  to  Adam  (p  47.)  to  Abraham  (p  48.) 
OL'tf/  typified  {•^^'^.^and  plainly  declaredly  th€Prophets.(^^l.) 
— The  Time  fixed,  (p  53.)— A^^/  the  leafi  Reafon  te  dcuht 
the  Accomffitjli^ent  of  theThings 'which  are  njjritten.  (p  54.) 
—  Nor  'will  the  Mijlakes  of.Jome^  or  Infidelity  of  others^ 
alter  the  Cafe.  (p.  60.) — The  Number  of  the  Sav$d  'will  be 
like  the  Sands  on  the  Sea- Shore,  (p  63 . )  — j^nd  all  Hie  Glory 
•will  redound  to  God.  (p  67.) — An  Affurance  of  0kis  may 
fupport  the  ^ood  Many  let  Things  now  appear  ever  fo  dark, 
'(P  68.)  J 

The  Wisdom  of  God  in  the  Permiflion  of  Snr. 
.  f 

WHAT  is  implied  inGod^s  permitting  Sin  ?  p.  74.-— 
Wherein  appears  the  Wifdornjf  God  in  perfnitting 
Jofephto  be  fold?  p.  T^.—Ifrael  to  he  oppreffed  ?  p.  78.— 
Pharaoh  to  harden  hUJIeart  ?  p.  80. — Ifrael  to  Jin  and 
fall  in   the  Wildsr^s  ?  p.  S5.— C^^V  Condua   in  theft 
Jnfiances  a  Clue  to  lead  us  into  a  Vie'w  of  the  Reafofis  ofhii 
permitting  theoriginalApofacy  ef finite  Intelligences,  p  105  - 
and  teaches  hcna  tofolve  all  Difficulties,  p  109.  —  Did  C(  t 
forefee  theFall  of  finite  Intelligences  ?  Could  he  have  hinu-er^ 
edit  P  Did  he  fl and  by  as  an  unconcernedSpe^lator  ?  p  122, 
— What  'was  the  original  State  of  Man  .^  p  1 27 .  —  ^ 
it  poffible,fo  holy  aCreat'       •     '- '      "  '- 
ducid  him  F'pi'^o.- 
Jhver'dbyit.  p  13^ 
^reafed,andCod 
receive  great  I 
p  141. — What 
ike  heft  ?  p  J 
— OhjeOicn: 


"r^ 


^*^"  ^■--:s^f^«f 


"''  ^  tf-^'^^^  *■ 


?>1^ 


•^^ 


